Gold Digger the Insertion files
by Agent Reptile
Summary: What happens when an obsessed fan gets a chance to meet the characters from one of his favorite stories from the beginning of their tales? Hopefully will continue through the entire series if I ever get to see it all. Please read and review.
1. When guy who is guys meets girls

Disclaimer, I own nothing mentioned in this fic which holds a copyright, and while I would say I belong to me saying I own myself could start a confussing theological debate on the nature of God. This story was done only for fun, not taking it too seriously so don't take it as such. Hope you enjoy and please be kind enough to review.

Self-insert

Chapter 1: When guy who is guys meet girls

It was a mostly uneventful day that day. I had a few days to myself and was just enjoying my down time. Thing is I rarely know what to do with my down time when it comes to the cold and unpleasant days of the Eastern Montana winter. I had been playing with my cat, watching a few of my DVDs, playing games, etc., but was suffering from what is usually referred to as the duldroms.

I scratched my cat behind the ears again as I decided to once more pick up the game controls and play something, or I would have if the system would respond.

"What the...give me a freaking break here." If I had been thinking more clearly I would have decided to say that's it and just take a nap. I wasn't thinking clearly.

"Come on, I don't have time for this...blasted stupid..." Actually I did have time, just didn't want to wait a few minutes to do something more productive than play a game I'd beaten countless times. If I had really been thinking I would have just sat down, caught my breath, and gone back to hugging my cat; but then again I wouldn't have had this happen to me.

As I pressed the restart button on the console I was, for a lack of better term, zapped. My whole body just froze in time as I felt a pulse of energy surge through me as time itself seemed to slow down. With no command from my own facilities, my other hand flew back and from it shot out the same force that was holding me hostage. I couldn't see what form it was in, or what was going on with my own body as I was feeling the odd and seemingly impossible to be true sensation of my consciousness being spread out from my arm and hand and into the game system I was touching. I could feel the electrical signal in it, and from it spread out to my other systems till I was connected in some strange ethereal net. I felt the same tug, but from the other side of the room through my outstretched hand as I sensed my portable games act in the same manner as my console ones.

While not in pain, the inability to do anything with my own body was terrifying. As I was continuing to be paralyzed through that unseen, awesome grip of whatever it was that held me. My body was struck taught and instead of myself being pulled further apart, I felt the unexplicable sensation of being imbedded with what at first felt like the same form of existence as my own expanded mind, but yet so impossibly different. Then in a instant snap of reality I was flooded with thoughts, information, power, and sensations I could not fathom. From my "fingers" they came up my arms, and straight into my mind as I could feel the characters I had played, and not like feeling a figurine, but I could sense the core of their being.

The shear insanity of this was overshadowed by the rush of power and upwelling of unbridled capability. It was...intoxicating. And yet...as the rush of feeling the skills, feelings, capabilities of those I had used to play out those pre-programmed games I felt more...I felt their minds, their hearts. I was impossibly looking through the eyes of fantastic heroes, defiant villains, and all those in-between. I was full of the courage, honor, moral character of some of the most virtuous of beings, while at the same time the ruthlessness, cunning, and audacity of the malicious foes of the whole of the videogame universe. Litterally it was to be caught gazing through the eyes of heaven and hell simaltaneously.

As the pull on my mental existence continued, I could sense and end to it. Like the thin edge of an egg shell came the force pulling towards me and into me. Soon I felt my fingers on the counsel botton and the warm stale air of my apartment. If I could have blinked I would have.

I had thought it was over. The end result of a inexplicable and incalculably small anomaly in the fabric of our universe perhaps had come to a close, but oh how wrong that was. As I felt my conciseness seem to materialize to my familiar physical form, I was once more jarded to as my hand, compelled by some unknown puppeteer, now reached towards my TV and there to the DVD player.

As helpless as I was the second I touched my consol, so to now I was with my hand placed upon the play button. Once more my whole body seemed to distort and bend as if a phantasm of etherial silly putty, but instead of remaining seated, my whole body was drawn and drained into the entertainment device. If seeing was not controlled by my eyes they would have rolled back into my head as I felt the white cascad of the titanic forces of the cosmos wash through me like a massive crashing wave and the unstoppable pull of some great vacuum tear at my very being. While not painful, it was in the pure sense of the word: overwhelming.

I had no idea what had happened as I was again able to feel the physical world once more. I was on some sort of grassy field with a cool, but not cold, breeze upon my face. I remained motionless, in half-lid sleep of sorts, unable to rouse myself to motion or to even to open my eyes fully to see where I actually was.

"Think he's alright?" I heard a soft and femanine voice ask as I sensed two sets of footsteps approach me.

"He better be. I don't know exactly what you were looking for here Gina, but some place to pull strange guys out of thin air isn't one of them."

Two female voices, one seemed caucasian, the other possibly of african ancestory. But who were they?

"Hey you alright there pal?" The African's voice asked as she reached down and nudged me. Her hand was large, strong, but not much force put behind it. Clearly it seemed she ment me no harm.

"Yea, just out of it...excuse me but where am I and who..." I tried to finish, heck I tried to just get up. comming from feeling as if I had the power of a ancient god to being barily able to move was a bit annoying to say the least, still I was alive.

"Easy there buddy. We aren't going to hurt you." The cacasian one, Gina I believe said as she helped the other get me to my feet. "Now if you don't mind, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"I think I just asked you a similar question." I tried to joke, "And didn't quite get an answer." I was trying to smile with mirth and to tease, but I couldn't quite keep on my feet and fell backwards. Thankfully Gina's associate seemed more than able to hold me up.

"Whoa there pal, take it easy. You okay to stand?" Like Gina she seemed to mean me no harm and was genuinely carring towards me, or as one would be to any stranger that needed a little help.

"Thanks...not quite sure, just can't seem to focus too well." I was getting better, but slowly.

"Well I'm Britanny, and my sister here is Gina. We are kind of camping over this area and saw that you just flashed here and thought one of my nerdy sister's experiments went wrong, again."

Wait Britanny? Gina? It couldn't be, could it?

"Nerdy? I'll have you know that I'm one of the greatest scientific minds in the whole world thank you. And we are not 'camping out'." As I could see better I noticed she was a blonde woman with remarkible figure and large glasses with a Indianna Jones type hat, sleeveless t-shirt, brown leather gloves, and a pair of "daisy duke" shorts.

I blinked. It was, but couldn't be...how?

"Yea whatever." Britanny said in reply. "Basically it means we've been here for weeks with no cable or such sitting around waiting for you to find something and then go home."

"Gina Diggers?" I asked, finally able regaining enough strength to stand on my own two feet with vission completely clear and senses finally working.

"Oh so you have heard of me?" She cheerfully smiled as she beemed with pride. I almost ignored her as I moved on to my mind's next thought, no insult to the lady intended.

"And Britanny 'Cheetah' Ellen Diggers?" I asked as I moved to see that my helpful associate was a 7' tall cat woman with spotted fur, powerful and femanine physique, and the most hauntingly cute face I had ever seen.

"Yea...that's me." She said blinking. "Now just who the heck are you and how do you know my name?" She got right in my face, was no-nonsense, and looked at me in an intemidating manner that showed she ment business.

"I'm Alex, Alex McLean. And you aren't going to believe this, but I'm not from around here." I hated how cliché that sounded, but I wasn't sure what actually to say.

"Oh I already figured that out." Gina replied. "You obviously aren't from the British Isles as your ascent is middle American, possibley with a southern dialect, your clothing of blue jeans, cowboy boats, hat, and black leather jacket, and your dialogue all mean you are a long way from home." I let her continue, as it would be fun in a second to see her reaction to my examination of here.

"So all-in-all I'm guessing you are a mid twenties to thirties American, possibley living in a western state but not native to it, and have some sort of fandom for us from our exploits as noted in Explorer monthly or such."

"Not exactly Sherlock Holmes, but you are good lady." I smile and yes do find my hat on the ground near where I was. "And almost dead on the money, except for the part of how I know you...or of you I should say."

"Oh? How is it then?" Britanny huffed, doing a very good job of intemidating me, but not so much as I would think I was in any real harm.

"Same reason I know that you are a werecheetah, Gina's adopted sister, your dad's name is Theodore Diggers, your mom is Julia Brigard Diggers, and your biological parents were Xersus and Cyan." Had to be quick on the reply to that as if I wasn't she may think me a stalker. "In my world, your two are two of my favorite comic and anime characters."

"What?" Gina blinked, her glasses tilted a little off of her face. Britanny's reply was less...immediate.

"Comic book characters?" Britanny asked. "Wait you mean that you read books about me and her and all our stories are just the imagination of some overweight nerd?" Yep angry werecheetahs are very threatening, but thankfully I knew Britanny was too nice a girl to hurt me.

"Actually no." I try to relax her. "See...look you two are actually the independent creation of a guy named Fred Perry and have been one of, if not the, most popular independant comic titles for years." I took a breath, probably thinking I shouldn't have said what I did, but figured that I best get it out in the open now, even if I probably would seem like Ambush Bug.

"And this actually is sort of the strange part, you see I was watching the movie of your first 'adventure', and I kind of got sucked into it. Look it sounds impossible but it's real...heck if you don't believe me then have your father read my freaking mind whenever you get home."

"One moment." Britanny said as she walked past me and grabbed Gina by the shoulder to talk in private.

"Well sis what do you think?" Britanny asked in a hushed voice. I decided to look away and prop myself by a tree.

"Sounds a little far fetched, but maybe. Look parallel dimensions were proven to exist so possibly in some alternate reality our stories have wound up in comic books so statistacally it is conceivable that someone that read these stories could, hypothetically, get sent to them somehow." Gina said as I could almost feel her look at me.

I wasn't trying to listen really. I was more concerned with the sensation in the back of my mind that felt like the selection screen for some of the games I felt earlier. If I had become one with those characters, then how could I use there powers? I wasn't Superman strong, or felt as smart as Dr. Doom...then how could I...

"Hey buddy, look Gina and I were talking and we've decided on something." Britanny said.

"Since you obviously don't look like you belong here," Gina continued.

"and since we do want to test that story of yours." Britanny added.

"Of course that, but we could use an extra set of hands here, provided that you aren't going to blab this to the competition." Gina smiled and in a very cute way made it clear she wanted this discovery to herself too.

"Uh sure...but are we talking Penny Pincer or...the competition I mean." I asked being lost at who she was talking about.

"Actually she's trying to upstage some local woman named Lara. Seems she's been getting all the attention from the resident nerds at the scientific institutes and my sister here isn't thinking very well of herself for it."

"BRITANNY? He has no reason to know that." Gina huffed.

"Lara Croft? Sure I won't tell her." I raised my hand. "I promise she won't get anything of this from me."

"Is she another comic character in your world?" Britanny asked, still not exactly believing my story, which was very fair.

"Nope." I reply. "Videogame, but I preferr Legacy of Kain to Tomb Raider any day." The two women led me back to their camp site, not understanding what I said.

It was almost night out when we got there, not to mention kind of wet.

"Dang. I was hoping to get a start before the fog rolled in." Gina said as she observed the campsite. "Sorry but there is only on tent and we don't have a lot of room so I guess we'll just have to pitch a blanket over a tree limb for you."

"Thank you very much for the hospitality. Really I do appreciate it." Gina and Britanny smiled at this.

"No sweat, it just means the less I have to carry along on this trip and more time I get to focus on my real interests." Britanny smiled.

"Which ones? Shopping, tuna, or cookies?" I asked. "Oh sorry forgot you may not want me saying that...um sorry." I immediately wished I hadn't said what I did.

"How did...nah it's okay. Trust me you knowing that ain't a problem, but if you do know something more 'personal' I would advise you keeping it to yourself." She smiled at me. Not threateningly but in a playful manner that still revealed she didn't want me blabbing things.

"Sure. And to make it up to you how about I make you a home made batch of cookies when we get back state-side? My treat."

"You have no idea what you just got yourself into mister." She joked with me. "But you're on. I hope they are up to my standards."

"Ma'am you will be begging for more and then some." I bragged back to her.

"You're on short stuff." She said offering her hand to me. We shook as I threw the tarp I was handed over a nearby tree. "Well good night Alex. Better not try anything with Gina or me during the night." Britanny kidded.

"Wouldn't consider it without an invitation."

"Night Alex." Gina giggled slightly.

It was a good night, though I had just woken up moments ago. I didn't get a lot of sleep, but was able to learn more about what as going on. I could begin to feel it inside me; the various attitudes, abilities, ect. from a whole range of characters. I decided to focus on one at a time and found myself feel my body change as I did so. The more I concentrated on one character, one person, the more I could feel I was becomming like them, but still distenctly me. I could feel my body grow or shrink, get stronger, smarter, or feel more energy flowing around me. That was it...an epiphany...

I could become one character at a time from the games I played, but still could change between characters as I willed. How long I could remain in one form I didn't know, nor the extent of what it was that happened, but I did know that this would come in handy soon. Afterall if the DVD was going according to plan Gina and Britanny could take on Dreadwing and win, but I wasn't going to just sit by the sidelines. I know I could take the treasure afterwards for myself, but at the same time...I knew already the lessons learned from a life-time of comic fandom.

"With great power comes great responcibility" I thought to myself and saw I was Spider-Man, red spandex and all.

I looked skyward and sighed. "Okay You want a hero, I'm your's." I thought to myself before trying to get some sleep.

Morning came too early for me, but that's always the case as I am not a morning person nor have I ever been one. Still I was up and to the smell of something good to eat.

"Morning sleepy head." Gina smiled. "Hope you don't mind but Brit and I decided to start without you."

"That's okay. I slept enough as is." I said propping myself by the embers of what should have been a fire.

"Yea. Hate to disapoint you but the wood here just is too damp so no coffee or a hot meal." Britanny said as she was almost inhaling her tuna.

"That's okay." I was about to say something about not liking coffee, but then..."Mind if I try to start it going?"

"Sure pal knock yourself out." Britanny joked, figuring I may cause a good laugh I guess...well my lovely lycan lets see you laugh at this...

I focused on a guy...young, arrogant, abrassive, cocky, but still heroic, dedicated, loyal...I could feel myself getting a little taller, skinnier, a full head of blond hair replaced my brown and I was dressed in a special blue suite with the number "4" on it.

Gina and Britanny were wondering what just happened as I stood up and said..."Flame on!"

In an instant I was airborn and ablaze as is pointed a finger at the smoke and sent a stream of flame right at it hot enough to evaporate the mosture and cause a decent fire. Britanny instantly was on her feet though and looked like she wanted to fight, even jumped out of the way with Gina before both saw I wasn't aiming at them.

I dropped down to the ground and the flames extinguesed as the guess of Johnny Storm was gone and I was back.

"What...but how...I?" Gina sputtered.

"Okay, what just happened Alex? And don't tell me some b.s. about another dimension or something." Britanny asked. "Just honestly what happened here please."

"It seems that I picked up a few passangers comming here. Specifically it seems I'm a one-man multititle crossover."

"Excuse me?"

"Well...you aren't the only fictional universe out there and I decided to give my 'gift' a test run." I smiled. "And seems to have worked."

"True, but next time, tell me please okay Alex." Britanny smiled. "I don't mind trying out new powers, but I don't want to get caught in some weird experiment." She leaned closer to say the next part. "I get enough of that from her." Britanny's thumb pointed behind her shoulder.

"I heard that Cheetah." Gina groaned.

"Sure thing Britanny, besides some of the guys are...well I could use a barrier between me and Gina if I do try and see how far I can go with this new tallent of mine."

"Alex, if they are as good looking as that guy was, I don't think I would be able to control myself any better. And call me Cheetah." Britanny patted me on the back.

"I would consider it an honor to call you that." Fan boy dream with all bases loaded bottom of the 9th, no strikes, no outs, and a 10 point lead. YES!

After a far better breakfast, and a few more character changes to pass the time and get a few laughs...Britanny absolutly loving Cheetor and Gina begging me to change back into Reed Richards for a long scientific debate with a fellow super genious, and both making me promise not to try any super villians around them for now.

But Gina did get back to her expedition and I knew were that was going to lead...well not a map but at least a good idea.

The supergenious was bouncing off to her new discovery while Britanny and I followed a distance behind.

"Well as you two probably guessed we are on a discovery of great importance, Merlin's time-raft."

"A time-raft? Wait that wasn't just hyperbole back there Alex? Gina is after a time machine?"

I nodded in confermation.

"And what do we need a time-raft for? We do have a car." Britanny said as she chidded her sister.

"Well I thought about taking a spin around history, pick up some cute guys along the way."

"I knew it, you nerdy bucket of hormones. I can't believe you." Britanny gaulfed. "Guys? What guys?"

"Alexander the Great, Cassanova...Adonis." Gina smirked.

"Adonis existed?" Britanny asked.

"And he started a 10 year war to get his wife back from the Trojans. Every hear of Helen of Troy? Plus being from ancient Greece he was more prone to homosexuality." I decided to add. "Plus Alexander the Great and Cassinova went through women like that Tigra guy from the Edge Guard so I don't think that...what?" I asked. "Don't look at me like that. Gina's not the only one who knows things here."

Gina slapped herself in the face while Britanny just blinked. "Damn. Thanks for ruining my fantasy there Alex."

"Ruining it or pointing out how bad it would be in reality? Besides you have a two-bit hack to upstage anyway...remember Lara?" I tried to point her back on track.

"You're right. You know I like the way you think." Gina said as she put her equpiment back in sub-space.

"Don't push him too far Gina, or he'll loose his awesome coolness." Cheetah laughed.

"Hey being a genious is cool...I mean...come back here Britanny." Gina groaned as she followed her sister a bit to where the cave enterance was pointed to be. Me? I just chuckled and followed.

Gina eventually got back in the lead position as she lead the way into the forboding structure.

"Well great, here we go again." Britanny sighed as she and I both looked at the entrance of the cave. "So if this is your favorite film, what happens?" Britanny asked me.

"I would tell you, but I don't want to cause a paradox. Besides, this is something you and your sister have to face no matter what. I'm just going to be the back-up."

"Well if you are back-up I think that you're going to be needed very soon." Cheetah wispered.

"Alright Gina look, I agreed to come on this little trip because I promised Dad I would watch over you." Britanny started.

"I don't think you have to worry about such things with me. I have already thought of every conceivable emergency so you need not worry about traps or hazards while I'm around."

"What about monsters?" The lycan lovely asked.

I knew want was comming. Okay think, who to use? Stone badguys, energy blasts...got it. While the two sisters were talking I felt the familiar change now as I flipped out some playing cards in one hand and a metal staff in the other.

"Look like we gon'na see t'em now chere." Seems I pick up more than just the looks here.

"Huh?" Gina asked, very supriessed by the now Cajun accent.

"Behind you petite." Britanny's hearing had already detected the stone leopard/lizard things as they surounded us and I decided not to wait.

"What? Britanny we're surounded!" Gina cried as she fell to her knees.

True to form Britanny was off like a shot as her enhanced speed and strength allowed her to pulverize the monsters into rubble. I charged up the cards in my hand and let them fly. They exploded on impact and reduced two to pebbles as I smacked two more with my staff hard enough to break their heads off.

"Alright mon'frar ol' Remmie goonna deal you all up a real hot hand." Gina was pondering what was going on between blasting these things and trying not to shoot her sister who was darting about and displaying acrobatics and martial arts skills that surpassed the movie greatly.

I let loose with a series of timed explosive cards onto the ground while dodging out of the way and causing the magic made foes to croud around them just as the cards went off. When that no longer became a good idea I set to fly volly after volly of 5 cards and decimated the stone creatures almost as well as Britanny's kung fu.

"Hey Alex this is getting us nowhere. We need to book." Cheetah said to me as she grabbed her sister under one arm and me under the other.

"I agree with you there chere. But let ol' Remme here give us some breathing room." I pointed behind us. Cheetah stopped long enough to let me off and I unleashed a double handful of charge playing cards into the roof of the tunnel before I was picked up again and rushed off.

"What will that do?" Britanny asked, while running headlong down the cave.

"Hopefully cause a..." BOOOM "Cave in." Gina smiled as she held her hat tightly to her head and saw the roof and several monsters had come a crumbling down behind us.

"Whooo, that should give us some room." I said changing back from Gambit.

"Yea. Hey Alex how did you do that back there?" Gina asked.

"With style petite, with style." I smiled at her.

"Yea look explain later. They'll be here any moment." Britanny said as she caught her breath for a second. "Got anyone good at facing vastly outnumbered odds in that catch of yours?"

"Got just the guy" I smiled.

"Good." Cheetah smiled as more of those stone headed foes came through. "Because here they come..."

Sure enough as Cheetah finished that statement, the bad guys started pouring in like ants and started to charge up there energy weapons. Old fashion fight, old fashion hero.

As one of the rock things was about to pounce on Cheetah, a red, white, and blue sheild came flying out of nowhere and slammed right into it's jaw before richocheing off to hit another one through the leg.

As it returned to me, Cheetah saw a 6' tall mountain of patriotic garbed muscle with a big white A on tope of the forehead, red boots, and eagle tips on the side of the mask.

"Team Assemble!" I yelled the battle cry as I let the shield of Captain America fly once more. Britanny smiled as she rushed past the first volly of opponents and yelled out "Cheetah Punch!"

Gina just shook her head as she took a defensive position between us and recharged her energy pistol.

Punches, jabs, haymakers. Britanny and I were a pair of furious movements of martial arts mastery. She was as light as a feather and as devistating as a cruise misstle. I held my own as I slammed the vibranium sheild into the face of one of the things while snap kicking another with such force that it broke in half. As they tried using their energy blasts at a distance, I ducked behind the sheild and deflected the blasts back or towards others of their kind. A solid punch in the mouth brought down one in a heartbeat. Another I sliced the head off of with the edge of my sheild while Cheetah used it's body as a projectile to bring down a few more.

"Gina I have an idea." I cried out. "Can that sheild of your's expand beyond just one person?"

The blonde genious thought for a second. "Sure, but only for a bit. It takes enough power as is just to protect me."

"We just need it for a second. Cheetah you head back towards Gina and take cover." Britanny didn't argue, but quickly lept towards her sister and I lanched my sheild high and above the beasts while bounding and ducking back towards the ladies. Just as I hopped the sheild hit the stalactites surrounding us and started bouncing off like a pinball. As it returned to me, the ceiling started to collapse above our heads. Right as I grabbed the weapon, I was able to duck between Gina and Britanny and cover us somewhat more as rock spears came crashing down ontop of the heads of those around us. Thankfully they were no where near as strong as vibranium or Gina's energy sheild so we got out alright.

Gina and Britanny nodded to eachother as they got up.

"Alex that was insane, but brilliant." Gina smiled.

"Yea well it worked, didn't it?" I replied as I helped Gina over the vast expance of now impaled foes.

"Come here you." Britanny growled at me. "You tried a completely unbelievable battle tactic while holding off a legion of vaious monsters with just a sheild and your wit?" Cheetah chidded me in my face.

"Well yea, I guess..." Then it happened, of all the things I was thinking would happen, this was not one of them...Britanny grabbed me by the arms and lifted me up. All 5'10", 212 lbs of me was above the ground and helpless before this very dangerous predator, and protective sister, and she looked like she was going to throttle me. Preparing for the worst I considered myself a dead man, till...

MMMMMMMPOP!

"I love you, you little nut." Cheetah smiled.

"Huh?" Yea me got kissed by Britanny Diggers, and that was the most confusing thing that happened all day.

"Stick with me pal and you'll do fine." Cheetah smiled.

"What? Britanny what are you doing?" Gina whinned.

"Just thanking Alex." She said hugging me. "You have a problem with that?"

"Uh yea...but you and I will be talking soon." The supergenius was not pleased at her sister's sign of affection to me, but I just went with it. "Alright onward and upward you two."

"Well not yet, we just met." Britanny joked as she set me down.

"And what a way to meet." My loopiness was back, but I didn't mind as Britanny guided the way on.

I had lost myself in the sensation of being the item of affection of a beautiful woman a bit, as I followed behind Gina and Britanny. Sure I was watching where I was going, but my inner fanboy had taken command so I was more than a bit giddy as I continued to talk with the two Diggers sisters, expecially Britanny.

"So tell me cute stuff, mind telling me a bit about who it was that you used back there?" Britanny asked as she let Gina take the lead and decided I was more interesting than the walls around us.

"Which one?" I asked as I scratched my head. "Gambit or Captain America?"

"Both, either, doesn't matter. Just something to keep the boredom off and so I don't have to listen to a bunch of science talk from my sis." Britanny replied as she went off in a huff.

"Sure. Well both are guys from a universe called Marvel comics, like yours but at the same time different. Anyway...Gambit's a mutant, a bit of a rouge and trickster who's mutant ability is to kinetically charge inanimate objects with mutant bio-energy. He also has reflexes and dexterity beyond that of a normal human so he can throw cards and such with pin-point accuracy."

"Okay...in non-nerd terms please." Britanny asked in a very irate manner which conveighed she didn't like technical babble.

"He can turn object he can touch into a bomb. Also he's a former professional theif, and a great cheif." Britanny looked at me for a moment perplexed.

"He's Cajun okay so he knows a lot of French and Southern cooking. I'll see if I got that power later if you want."

"Oh most definately. And if it's good, I'll make sure to thank you very much for it." Cheetah's flirtacious reply made me blush.

"You're cute when you do that. Anyway what about the other guy? You know the uber partiot who looked hooky but kicked major ass."

"Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America." I said proudly. "Former F-4 volunteer for what was called Operation: Rebirth, Rogers was it's only successful test subject and was turned from 90 lb weakling into the perfection of human health and vigor to quash the NAZI menace and save the free world from the Axis powers."

Britanny halted for a second at that. "Wait NAZIs? How old is that guy there Alex?"

"Somewhere in his 60s to 80s...they have to keep retroconning him as the years go on. Anyway the reason he looks so young is that he was frozen in ice for decades and only thawed out by the Avengers some time in 'recent' history."

"Oh, so he didn't live through all those decades to see America change and such." Britanny said as she tapped her finger to her chin. "Wonder how he reacted...anyway so he's some sort of 'super human' being and Gambit was what...exposed to toxic waste?"

"Well yes, and no." I thought for a bit. "Now I can become a mutant like that, but those are turtles...besides the point the whole reason for Captain America was to take the NAZI's entire idiology of what a 'perfect' race was and shove it back at them showing that although someone physically met their criteria for the ultimate arrian, his morals where completely counter to those of the axis powers."

"Cool. I could like someone like that." Britanny said as we dropped behind Gina a bit more. "So how did Gambit get his powers?"

"Same reason you have yours my friend. He was born with them, and in fact he's a member of a team of mutants who have taken the responsibility to protect the world, humans and mutants and everyone else, from those that would try to harm people just because of who they are."

"Really? Reminds me of high school." Britanny mused as we continued, constantly looking around and of course Britanny was twitching her ears to hear for anything.

"Yea about that..."

"Hey you two no lolly gagging." Gina said from ahead of us. "Come and take a look at these markings." Gina had gained quiet a distance on us as she continued to feel her way down the tunnel. Keeping a hand on the side of the cavern, she seemed to have a skip in her step much like a young kid does when excited about a new place to play.

Where in the film we would have skipped over to some sort of voice over from Dreadwing, I realized that there was never a set time between when those stone things got smashed and when the next scene would start. Not knowing when that would be I just decided not to mention anything as the fact if I did, it likely would change.

"Anyway, so what's this about high school now?" Britanny asked, finding our conversation a lot more interesting than what we were walking through...still not sure what light source was keeping things from being pitch black in here.

"Oh that...well when the X-Men comics started they..."

"Wait exmen? What are they all a bunch of transsexuals or something?" Britanny huffed.

"No X as in the unknown or as in the math symbol x equals something." I retorted. "It has to do with the fact that mutants have this 'x-gene' that in each person is different so it gives them a different power. Usually becomming active during the teenage years. I.E. high school."

"Hem, guess that makes sense." Britanny thought.

"Anyway. The team was formed by Professor Xavier, or Professor X the world's most powerful telepath, after his spine was crushed by a supervillian." I rambled on. "And it was first a bunch of teenagers during the 60s."

"Really?" Britanny didn't care so much for the details, but found the time it started interesting. "So what mutants were a stand in for black people and the Civil Right's movement?"

"Yep. And for kids who didn't think they fit in anywhere for other reasons. Now it's actually one of the most famous titles in the world...but that's mainly to one character that got added to the team years after it started and who didn't start out as an X-Man." I smirked. "In fact he's so much a cultural icon that he inspired you Cheetah."

"What? Really? So some spandex wearing nut comic character from a universe where I'm another comic character led to me being born?" She didn't believe me, and responded by huffing and smirking. "And just who is this guy, I'm guessing guy, who led to my being born?"

"Well, I don't really want to try and unleash him yet...not sure how you and he would react and..." Definately wasn't sure about that, nor wanting to mess up the timeline any more than my existance here was anyway. Okay so things weren't exactly like the comic as Britanny was sporting her pony-tail rather than that mullet-esc thing she had been wearing before...though truth be told that was a hot look for her. But still what about Strype, Brianna, Tiffany? I know those are years and such down the road but I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I stopped even one of them from being who they were supposed to be...or would be or...heck time travel is a headache I don't need.

"Oh? You worried about little old me not being able to handle some strong rugged superhero?" Britanny sweetly, and with the obvious finger-wave. "Afterall a 307 lb, 7', 15 ton bench pressing werecheetah so needs to be protected from the dangers of the world."

"Well that's not it. I mean yea you kick serious ass Cheetah, but that's not why I don't want to show you him...more like..."

"What? Come on why don't you want me to see this guy?" Britanny chuckled. "It can't be that he's super ugly or something like that."

"No, it's more along the lines that I'm worried you will be so attracted to him that you'll start a make-out session with him and I wouldn't be able to stop him from going further with you." Well it was a truth, not all the truth but maybe half of it.

"Oh how chivalrous of you, but really I'm far better at controling myself than that, or little miss hormone nerd ahead of us." She said while pointing to her sister, now far ahead of us and pulling away.

"Later, I promise okay." I say as we follow ahead.

"You know that's a lot of promises you've made me. I hope that you can back them up there buddy." The very tall cheetah woman said as she pointed at me and walked ahead. I just shrugged and walked ahead following her.

"And keep up please, I don't want to think that you are just staring at my cute buns." Britanny said as she wiggled her rear a bit. My reply was to blush feverishly.

"Will you come on already Alex." Gina cried out. "You're holding us up."

"That's not the only 'up' I'm doing right now." I thought to myself. Yea I knew that Britanny was a flirt sometimes, but it didn't mean she had a real romantic interest in me...but still it was nice.

"Is she always this pushy when it comes to an exploration?" I asked, trying to regain some level of composure and not taking liberties with staring at Britanny's body. What I wanted her respect afterall.

"Oh great more boring sciency stuff." Britanny groaned. She had stopped looking for monsters and such and was back to looking really, well bored.

"Science, yea...but I don't think that boring would be the proper description." I mentioned ominously.

"Oh? So you enjoy looking at glowing wall scribbles?" Britanny joked. "Maybe I had you pegged wrong about how cool you are."

"No it's not that, it's more that..." I was about to mention something when Gina pipped in.

"You two notice these strange markings?"

"Only because I have to. There all over the place." Britanny replied.

"Yes, but they seem to be radiating to a central point. Alex anyone in there that could help me with analysising what they mean?" Gina asked, completely obsessed with studying her latest observation. Oh hell.

"So this is what a sitting duck feels like." Britanny said with one of her arms under her chest and her other pointing at the flashing skull on the floor.

Britanny non-shelantly just picked up a peice of the floor and threw it at the hallway we just walked down. The rock exploded against the barrier and I blanched at this.

"Wha...AH Britany its a traaaaap." Gina cried out as I noticed that the magic that contained us didn't leave much room to manuver. The undulations of her voice which sounded like a bawling kid were really starting to bug me as she was

"Is this par for the course on these adventures of yours at this point?" I asked.

"What? I thought we were comic characters to you, so shouldn't you know?" Britanny replied as two individuals dropped down before us. I stepped back a second and tried to figure who to use, since I knew that I was going to be fighting again.

"Elves?" Gina asked as one was holding some sort of magical energy blade and the other charging with some aura power of hers.

"Aura" I thought to myself. "That's it." Yes aura powers, specifically the fact that elves use aura magic so they have one glaring weakness: Metal.

In a split second the male had launched himself at Britanny, my friend had backflipped over the blade and dodged several thrusts before holding up her hands and trying to stop this. Her movements reminding me more of Spider-Man than Cheetara.

"Whoa there. I **really** hope you got that out of your system." Britanny said to the male elf. "We ain't here to fight, and we ain't here to tresspass either. My sister and I and our friend were just doing some exploring..."

"And we thought the only thing inhabiting these caverns were monsters." Gina timed in.

"And now that we see that someone actually owns the place..."

"We'll be peacfully and respectfully leaving."

"Yep, we're gone. Sorry to trouble you." Britanny barely had time to complete her sentence as the Etheral blade passed where her head would be. She responded on pure instinct and ducked below the blade, spun avoiding another attack, and then used her momentum to power a kick right to the male's temple sending him sprawling across the floor.

Game time...

I knew that the other Elf was about to unleash some spell as soon as the shock of her beloved being slammed against the stone.

"Comrades behind me." I cried as my pink flesh was replaced by cold steel skin and I equalled Britanny in height. "Let us see if they will be willing to make peace when forced to face the mighty Colossus."

Britanny and Gina blinked as a metal giant now stood before them.

"Domoritz please there is no need to fight." I tried to plead with the dark skinned woman charged her aura and fired right at Britanny, who lept out of the way and started to skip across the roof at high speed.

While not as fast as Britanny, many underestimate just how fast Colossus can move. In mere moments I had tackled the female elf and held her in a full Nelson which caused her aura to dispate.

"Now that I have your attention." I said with a very think Slovic accent. "Let us talk like civilized beings da?" her continued protests were not even close too being able to break my hold on her, but I had to give her points for trying.

"Forgive me then, as I do not wish to hurt you." With her absolute refusal to talk I had only one choice. I gentely...realivitely so...tossed her to where her associate lay. "But if you wish a fight, then Piotr shall gladly give you one."

Smirking seeing the two sprawling figures, Britanny almost fluidly moved as she said "What you want some mo'?"

"Be careful my feline commrade, you usually get what you ask for." I retort as I see the elves once more charge for the attack. Switching to an axe rather than a sword, the male elf swong at me while his female companion started to unleash energy blasts at Britanny.

It was good fortune that Britanny was as light on her feet as before, and thus able to dodge her attacker. I was not so lucky. Colossus may not be a ton of lead, but he certaintly wasn't a gazell. The axe weilding foe was able to keep out of my range as I would hit the floor and bury my fist in it. It would seem a hopeless situation had not the man tried to leap above me and slap Cheetah into the ground.

"NEIT." I said as I was able to grab his foot and thurl him to the floor. I proceeded to do my best impression of a Droopie Poodle cartoon and slam him hard again and again into the rocks.

With two against one odds for the Diggers sisters, they faired far better than they did in the cannon of the movie. Britanny was able to out manuver most of the energy blasts and acted as a good distraction for Gina to fire several shots off.

After leaving a few good dents in the floor via the elf, I chucked him towards his mate.

"Heads up." I reply tossing the beaten male towards his associate and sending both of them sprawling across the ground.

"Okay since you two have been trounced thoroughly, why don't we just calmly talk this over and..." Gina smirked as she saw the two mostly stunned elves, only to let her ego and overconfidence get in the way of what really was around her.

"Gina look out!" The female elf and recovered first and was using her magic to lift the very rock of the floor and lashed out with a rock arm. I was able to rush ahead of the impacting fist to try and plow through it, only to find myself being tripped by a hole that suddenly developed below my feet and causing me to tumble through the stone fist and crash into the magic barrier which had destroyed the rock Britanny had thrown.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" It was so incredibly painful, and Colossus was known to handle energy without any problems, so what was this stuff made of which dropped me to my knees? I could see the steam rising from my steel flesh and promptely lost the ability to keep my eyes open. I can only guess what happened next as I heard more fighting and the slamming to two bodies to the floor before I finally collapsed to a spral and passed out.

The next thing I knew was the sensation of someone shoving my shoulder and saying my name again. I admit I was more or less half asleep, but I thought I heard Britanny say something about her being in her human form and helpless something. Granted I wasn't thinking when I muttered this but I think what I said was

"Doesn't matter...still cute..."

"HEY." Gina aparently yelled at me while smacking the back of my head.

"Ouch...hey what was that for?" I said forcing myself in Gina's face and rubbing the back of my head. Gina just huffed while Britanny giggled a bit and blushed.

"Anyway sis where do you think we are, weren't we just in a cave?" Britanny said as she looked around.

"I think...I think we've been captured." Gina said.

"Captured? Awe man I knew this cave was a bad idea. Why is it that I listened to you? And why didn't you tell us about this if you supposedly know all about this trip huh Alex?" Britanny rattled on.

"Well we aren't chained or anything, just helpless." Gina analysed. "I don't have my equpiment and you don't have the ability to transform into hybrid form. And we aren't in a dungeon or a prison and..."

"Helpless? Yea I can't transform into my normal gorgious form for another 24 hours. Whether this is or isn't a prison has yet to be seen." Britanny pointed out with far greater practicle sense than Gina seemed to have.

"Good point. I guess it all depends on our host." Before Gina could ask if I could get them out of there, our mutual host made himself known. I knew who it would be and was running the situation through my mind to see who I could pull out if needed. Jedi maybe? He-Man? Best chance probably would be to use Thor and smash Dreadwing's head in with Mijouner.

"Yes." A booming voice replied from the end of the hall. Gina, Britanny, and I looked at eachother and then to the source of the sound to see a large, powerful, and very intemidating purple skinned dragon. Massive pointed inter-locked teeth filled his lipless mouth. It would have been almost comical to see him so daintyly lift the small silver cup containing his drink with two of his claws and to his mouth, had it not been the fact he filled most of great hallway.

"Uh guy, is that a 'dragon' sitting at the end of that table?" Britanny said shaking her head in shock. Said dragon took a sip of his beverage and didn't seem to look at us, rather focusing on his drink.

"Why yes Britanny that is a dragon. And he seems to be enjoying a nice cup of tea." Gina and Britanny were so tense that it I was tempted to just break cannon like a plate-glass window and cream Dreadwing right then and there...but I couldn't risk that not working and Brit and Gina getting caught in the crossfire.

"Ah delicious." The monster stated, breaking the silence. "Please forgive my servents'...impetuousness." I knew better. He ordered them to do what they did and he was the real villian here, but I would wait till I could prove it. I wouldn't have to wait too long.

"It is so rare that we have...guests..." His voice was tempting, very tempting to believe...but that was the nature of evil. As Gina and Britanny were stumbling to find the right and poliet words to prevent us from getting blasted, or eaten, and not doing too good a job and lieing through their teeth.

Eventually the foe, with well practiced manners, said "Please, please you are my honored guests. Expecially since we have a common interest." Oh boy.

"Am I correct to assume that you are after the fabled...time-raft of Merlin?" This caused distinct shock in both girls and Britanny started shaking her head.

"Well that would depend." Gina was saying. "If we were after the time-raft and it currently belongs to you and we are here to steal it then the answer is **NO**." Gina said as she was trying to use political swave to get what she wanted. "But if it's just some junk you have lying around, then I hope you don't mind an experienced archeologist like myself looking at it." Her smile was mousy, timid.

"So it does hold interest to you?" Dreadwing observed. "Excellent. Then perhaps this would interest you?" The shimery wave of magic before us was a burgendy red and revealed a holographic image of some silvery device composed of an outer and middle ring connected with a central hexaginal component broken up with various lines and runes.

"This is the artifact you seek: the Time Raft. One of the most powerful magical devices ever created." I barely listened to Dreadwing's half-truth BS about Merlin trusting him with it. Rather I focused on Gina's agape mouth and looked at Britanny checking her watch on her left wrist. I pulled forward and saw Cheetah press Gina's jaw shut.

"You're the time raft's guardian?" Gina asked. I almost hated to keep my mouth shut, but I had to for now.

"I am known as...Swiftwing. Benevolent defender of secrets at your service."

We all leaned closer together as Britanny tried to whisper "He's got the dark sense of the apocalypse all over him. My cheetah senses are tingling." Oh how right you were Cheetah. But I know that he heard all to clearly.

"How many dragons have you met? Who are you to judge?" Gina said.

"Careful Gina. I don't think it's wise to trust anyone you met whole heartedly." I knew he heard, but I had to say it.

"And what about you huh?" Gina pointed out.

"Please excuse my sister and our...friend. It would be an honor to meet you Swiftwing. My name is Gina Diggers, world famous archeologist and scientist, and this is my sister and assistant Igor...I mean Britanny Diggers..."

"What makes you think you can get away with calling me Igor when I'm in human form?"

"And our friend Alex McLean."

"Hem. Well Gina Diggers it is fortunitus that you came by, for you see Merlin didn't leave any instructions and I would need help to discover how to best use the magics of the artifact I have been entrusted with, and how to...activate it, use it." He words seemed to effortlessly flow from his mouth. Dreadwing was beginning to seem like not such a bad guy to the Diggers, but truth cut such apart.

All too easily Gina agreed to help, expecially with the promise of reward for her services.

"Excellent." He chuckled as he held his clawed hand under his chin and closed his eyes. "I'll certainly make it worth your while if you succeed. Mesha." He called his female servant, who was very distraught and seemed heavy hearted as she placed the golden plate full of coins, bars of gold, and other tid-bits which gleamed with fantastic luster.

"This is a small taste of my graditude and there is plenty more where it comes from, if you solve my time-raft's secrets." Even I was caught looking in awe at this. Having never seen gold like this...

"No no get your head in the game Alex this guy never expects to give you any of this."

"Well why didn't you bring this out sooner Mr. Swiftwing sir?" Britanny gauched.

"You mean your...giving this treasure to us?" Gina asked. "CHA-CHING."

"Well then, it is agreed." Boomed the dragon. "Tonight we dine and rest, and tomorrow we devine the secrets of the time raft. Tark, Mesha. If you would be so kind as to serve our feast?"

The two elves were instantly obediant, and went along with the obvious lie, and served us very well. The meal, the wine, the company was all good. But I was being chidded by Gina and Britanny constantly for not having a more uplifted mood. I was never a good actor so I knew that "Swiftwing" knew I knew something more than I was letting on.

After our great meal, which was great in size and in quality, we were led by Mesha and Tark through the vast cavern system to a large door.

"This is the guest suite, I hope it is comfortable." Tark said.

"It's very nice thank you very much." I said. "And I must thank you for the wonderful meal we had earlier. My complements to you two." Having never had such a complement they were both taken back by it.

"I appologise but since we don't have many guests, we also don't have many guest rooms. I hope you will not be insulted by having to share." Mesha said as her mate stepped aside to let us in.

"Oh I'm sure that you can behaive yourself in the precense of beautiful women right Alex?" Gina joked while playing with my beard. I was very...excited and bashful as I wasn't sure how to react to her attention.

"And so we are clear, I will be back to my old self in a few hours so don't think you are going to get away with anything." Britanny said. I was beginning to see that she did act very differently in her two forms, just as I did if not more so. Same person but with different ways of acting as she was more defensive in her human form.

As the two elves closed the door behind us, I saw that we were in a lavish palace-like room with a central fountain, plush couches, golden inlade floors, and curtans. I thought for a second I was in some sultan's playpen.

"You're new to this Alex, but Britanny you know what this means right?" Gina smiled.

Britanny was positively giddy as she nodded and they started to sing in unison.

"We're going to get some treasure, we're going to get some treasure, we're going to get some treasure." Surprisingly their singing wasn't too bad, not Reba Macentire or Pattie Loveless but not the screams of the damned.

"I hate to stop your happy dancing and such, but have you thought of what would happen if this 'swiftwing' was lying to us?" I said as I plooped down on the cushion and smirking.

"Oh...yea..." Britanny said as she snapped out of her dance.

"Yea your right." Gina said as she thought for a second. "We don't know who it is guy is, but then again we don't know all that much about you Alex."

Gina pondered for a moment. "But from all I've read in legends and such dragons rarely give away their treasure, so maybe this guy isn't planning to pay us."

"Yea I would hate to think of what would happen trying to face a bad dragon." Britanny said as she wrapped herself in her arms.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to think of a contengency plan." Gina said. "If that happens I mean."

"Gina, Brit...I know we just met a day ago, and you still don't trust me all that much...but...this isn't as simple as it seems to be." I told them as Britanny laid back on the opposite side of me.

"Oh? And mulit-dimenional beings, us being comic and anime characters, oh and repairing a time machine for some dragon to get treasure is?" Britanny aloofly commented.

"Yea you got me there...look this 'Swiftwing' isn't at all who he appears to be and has been lying to us all since we met."

"Well if you know something don't keep us waiting." Gina said sitting down.

"Yea, I'm still not sure I should forgive you about not mentioning the elves back there." Britanny said.

"Okay on that I probably should have mentioned, but I had no idea how long it would be before you met them." I realled back for a second. "Let's change the subject a bit...would you like to see a real alien?"

"Huh? What does that have to..." Britanny asked.

"Wait Britanny." Gina said. "Okay sure, lets see this 'alien'." Gina said as she held her sister back for a second.

I focused on on particular polymorth guarentied to impress them. 6' tall, green, blue cape and boots, I took the form of the often forgotten members of the Justice League: the Maritan Manhunter.

"That's an alien?" Britanny asked.

"Em, not bad looking I'd say. Nice muscles, tall, and very nice cape." Gina said observing the more human form of Jonn Jonzz. "Tell me, Are those muscles just for show, or do they actually do anything." The sexual drive of Gina was well known and as she started making circles on my chest.

"While not as strong as say Superman." I smiled as I lifted Gina up with one hand. "The Martian Manhunter does pocess a very large degree of super-strenght. _and mental_."

I said the last part telepathically as I put Gina back down on the couch and turned human again, but with a one big difference.

"Wait did you just." Britanny said as she was about to threaten me.

"_Yes, but please don't act like that. Dreadwing is watching us right now, and can see what I just did_." I said trying not to show what I was doing.

"What? Who is..." Gina was about to ask.

"_HUSH!_" I sent to both of them. "_Sorry, look if you hadn't noticed those two elves of his hesitated with the use of his name?_"

"_Yea...which is sort of odd._" Gina thought, realizing what I was doing. "_If they had been in his employ they would have just said it without thinking._" The older Digger sister pondered this.

"_So are you you, or are you still this Martian?_" Britanny asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

_"John Jones...the Martial Manhunter, is a polymorphic being able to shape shift and posesses phenominal telepathic and telekenetic powers. When watching a movie you don't always focus on one character sometimes right? Well Dreadwing back there plans to 86 us after Gina here figures out the Time Raft._"

"_Damn. knew this was too good. I told you this was a bad idea Gina. I __**told **__you._" Britanny chidded her sister and glared at her.

"_Well excuse me Brit. How was I supposed to know?_" Gina tried to defend her choices. I could almost feel their fight about to happen.

"_Girls please._" I said. "_Remember we are being watched._" I looked around as to indicate hidden cameras or something.

"_Okay, so how we gonna play this? You just fly in as some superpowered Deus ex Machina and save us?_" Gina asked wondering if I had some sort of plan.

"_I hope not. I'm a noobie remember? You're the main characters and I'm not trying to muscle-in on your lives._" I replied. "_And believe me you have the know-how, skills, and luck to get yourself out of this, but since I am here I'm going to help._"

"_Good. So since you got the inside on this Dreadwing, how about you fill us in a little on him huh?_" Cheetah asked as she leaned closer.

"_Tark and Mesha know more, and trust me they hate him more than you can say so we are going to get along well with them. But the gist is that Dreadwing is one very bad, very powerful bastard who wants to get back to looting the world and creating a vast empire but needs the time raft to do it._"

"_So we befriend the elves, break in, fight the bad guy, and get out all while trying to avoid getting killed?_" Gina smiled.

_"Sounds like a common Monday activity for you two._" I smirked.

"_Yea, look...Alex I know that we just met here, so don't take offense if we just find this too..._" Gina started as she tapped the side of her jaw wondering what exactly to say.

"_Weird._" Britanny finished.

"_Yea weird, I'll go with that. So while we agree your story makes a lot of sense and you have proven helpful...I would like to have what you say somehow confirmed._"

"_Not to insult you or your help. Just please don't take offense if we don't take what you say at face value._"

"_I don't mind a bit, and was hoping you would be a bit cynicle. Just I hope I have earned your trust._" I smile while actually shifting back to myself, but having to become in Martian form before I could do so.

"So Alex...if we do get some treasure out of this...and since you do know what may or may not happen in the future...could I ask something of you? Please?" Britanny said as she laid back a bit.

"Well sure Brit...I mean Cheetah. What can I do for you?"

"Well you see, if Gina doesn't mind...I mean we are explorers afterall...I was hoping we could take a trip to Africa and well..."

"Africa?" Gina asked. "Is this to see if there are any more werecheetahs?" Gina said, knowning this is a sensitive topic for Britanny.

"Well yea...if that is you want to...I mean you probably want to get home...wherever that is and..." I didn't need superpowers to feel that she wanted so bad to find more of her kind.

"Thought maybe we could...look for signs of my family."

"I thought we were family. You know you, me, mom, dad, sis." Gina said, obviously hurt.

"I know, but I'm hoping to find signs of my real family, before they all...died..."

I was about ready to hug her...really just I have an overwhelming sense of compassion so it was hard not to

"Before dad found me as a baby and adopted me..." Britanny was pleading from her heart for just to chance to find who she really came from. But I knew she wouldn't find a thing, and yet...damn it how do you tell someone that they are the absolute last of their kind?

"Sure sis, at least we will...first thing..." Gina said. "And if you would want to come help..."

"I would be honored to help you look for something of the werecheetahs with you Britanny." I said smiling. "And if that means going to Africa I'll go, but...I..."

"Look if you feel you need to get back home I'll..." Cheetah said. I stood up and sat next to her.

"Cheetah, I have always been a fan of yours, and now I hope a friend. I would consider it an honor...and a privalege, to help you look for some part or remains of the werecheetahs, of your biological family." I smile at her as she was doing the doe-eyes thing, and was up on her knees.

"And if anything I know of your series helps you, then I will help you, on my honor."

"YAAAAAYYY!" Britanny helded out as she gave me a death-squeeze hug around my torso. "Thank you so much. I...I just want to thank you for all that you're willing to do to..."

I wrapped one arm around her shoulders and hugged her. Gina just smiled at this.

"So...just curious but do you have any...female forms you'd like to share?" Gina asked.

"Wait what?" I stuttered as I let go of hugging Britanny.

"Well you know we've seen a bunch of really hunky guys, but..." Gina was edging on.

"Oh no, no way no how." I said as I stood up and shook my hands. "I am not going to try that. Forget it."

"Oh come on Alex. With all those really studly guys there's got to be a few...ladies that you played in games as well." Gina said, enjoying how unsettled I was.

"Oh hell no Gina. No way am I going to try that. I am not pulling a Loki here." I almost yelled at her. "Look I respect women, I like women, I think women are awesome. Doesn't mean I want to be one."

"Come on how bad could it be? Could give you an interesting perspective on the opposite sex." Gina commented. Britanny looked at her with such an incredulous appearance on her face that it looked like her mind just shattered.

"What are you up to sis?" Brianny asked.

"Well...come on, wouldn't it be interesting if a guy finally found out what it was like to be one of us? And I'm sure that you would find it 'enlightening' Alex." Keep pushing it Gina and you'll get face to face with someone you don't want to piss off.

"I grew up with 11 female cousins, a sister, 4 aunts, and two grandmothers. You can keep your 'enlightenment', I'm keeping my gender."

"11 cousins..."

"Wait that would mean you had..."

"Yea, so next time you suggest something that assine, imagine what would happen if you instantly lost something up here, and gained something down there." I pointed towards the parts of her body that were typical of her gender.

"It would be...interesting..." Gina tried to backpeddle.

"Oh please girl." Britanny joked, "If you were no longer part of the sisterhood you would be screaming your lungs out for hours." The werecheetah in human form chidded.

"Don't worry pal, your lovable werecheetah friend isn't going to let her supernerd sister make you do anything that stupid." The petite blonde said, "Now, are there any huggable werecat studs that you could turn into instead?"

"BRTIANNY!" Gina blaunched. I was about to bust a gut.

"What?" The werecat said as she rolled on her tummy. "You wanted him to give up his manhood, I was just asking if maybe he could shift into a werecat for a bit. For you know...cuiocity reasons."

"Hypocrite." Gina muttered.

"Yea...ah nope sorry no werecats." I laughed. "Cat-based characters though...that's a seperate topic."

"Well that would work." Britanny smiled.

"Hey."

"We'll deal with your flawed idea of making a good looking guy who can turn into a number of superhot guys try to turn into a girl later. You get to gush over a time machine, I get the guy. See fair right?" Britanny smiled. I was getting the sensation I was a peice of meat here or something...but what the hell it's Gold Digger so why not enjoy it.

"And you called me the bundle of hormones." Gina commented.

"Please, you know how few guys actually interest me?" She commented to sister. Turning to me she said, "besides I would think that a guy like you would consider it an honor be asked to show off for a pair of ladies like ourselves."

"Well maybe...but how about just a few okay...maybe the one's I've already used since..." It wasn't that I didn't want to show off, or I was a prude. I knew that Dreadwing was watching and listening so just blatently telling him my powers would give him an edge I would never get back.

"Since what?" Britanny asked.

"Well...lets see what you think of this guy without his mask on." Deciding to go back to Captain America for a moment, I pulled the mask off his head and saw two very impressed females gaze at me.

"MINE!" Cried Britanny as she lept into my arms, or Caps arms or...whatever I was being Captain America at the time.

"So Mr. Red, White, and Blue, want to see how 'super' that serum made you?" Britanny said as I was, pardon the expression, shell-shocked.

"Britanny how dare you?" Gina huffed.

"You get your silly time raft, I get the guy." Britanny wrapped her arms around my neck. "Now lets see what you look like under the chain mail."

"Oh boy." was the only thought I had as I started imagining that this was going to be a very long night. Good thing I got some sleep beforehand.

Like I said in this is just for fun, not sure if I would continue this or not. But the idea has been going through my head for about a decade so who knows. Please be kind enough to review and give any suggestions. I probably will be going through the cannon of Gold Digger for a few volumes and then I'll see what happens. I am almost done with the rest of the movie, so I hope to post tonight or tomorrow.


	2. Of dragons and decite

Chapter 2: Of Dragons and decite

Disclaimer: I don't own anything here and I'm not making money off this so please don't sue.

I awoke the next morning, or what I would suspect was morning, to find a curious weight on my chest, and the mumblings of a sleepy young girl. Apparently Britanny thought that I was as a good a bed as anything else and had snuggled next to me.

"Hey, finally awake huh?" Gina replied as she looked at us.

"Uh Gina this..."

"Please, this is a one-room guestroom. I don't care how my sister may feel about you, she isn't going to actually fuck you in front of me." Cleaning her glasses and smirking smugly, the genius decided it was time to rub it in a little. "But I will be recording this, for purely historic reasons of course."

"Bull, I know you like to tease Britanny any time you get a chance." I say as I try to stare her down. "And anyone else you can for that matter so don't dare tell me that you are doing this for anything more than pettiness."

"True. So smile." She grinned as she whipped out a camera and snapped a photo of us.

"Giiinaaaa." I heard someone growl right in my ear.

"Oh well look at the time. Best get up and to work on the time raft. Come on Igor, no more sleeping in." She merrely skipped off to look at her new toy.

"Um yea...uh Britanny why ah..." I asked as I tried to sit up.

"What, the sleeping on top of you?" She smirked. "That was just because you were a lot more comfortable than the bedding was. I like you...but I'm not ready to do that just yet. Especially not with someone I just met. No offense"

"None taken." I said as we sat up.

"So lets go track down my genius sister before she blows herself up." The slim blonde said as she trod off towards her family member.

"Now that I would find interesting to see." I joked as I followed behind.

We found Gina sitting before the time raft a few minutes later with a brown leather bag in her hands.

"Great you two are here, now you can help me. Here Britanny take a look through this and see if there is anything that will help us here." Gina said as she handed the now smaller sister the bag.

"And you can change into one of those forms of yours with some level of genius like mine and we can get to work." She said pointing to me.

"I notice she isn't familiar with the word 'please'." I said to Britanny.

"Welcome to my world." She said as I figured that Reed Richards would be as close to a fit to what we needed here as possible, but really didn't think I would give any insight as really this was more of a high-tech bomb than a time machine.

"Good now, any idea where we should start my good doctor?" She said to me while looking the device over with her microscope.

"Yes, but I don't have access to the any of the technology of Stark Tech or S.T.A.R. labs so why not start with a simple external examination of the material the device is made of?" I replied as I stretched out one of my arms towards the bag and held my hand out.

"Cheetah, would you be so kind as to hand me one of those items please?" I asked her as I stretched my fingers over the surface of the Time Raft.

"Sure anything particular?" She said going through the bag.

"Any will do thank you." I replied. She placed one of the silvery diode things in my hand as I brought my limb back to it's original length.

"Facinating. It seems to be composed of some carbon nanocrystal material similar to the basic design concept of Kryptonian building material." I said as I noticed how it glistened in the light from above. "However it possesses several distinct differences as it is not completely crystalline, but rather seems an amalgimation of the crystal lattice and other, non-carbon, material." Okay so I became a complete and total geek when Richards, so sue me.

"What?" Britanny asked as she browsed through the other components in the bag.

"Um yes, well, how about you and I exchange notes on that...sometime later maybe?" Gina pleaded.

"Yea ah...later." I answered. The hours passed as we tried to figure this thing out, which was in itself interesting, but I knew ultimately futile.

"So Britanny, found anything in that bag that can help us?" Gina asked, not bothering to take her eyes of her specimen.

"Just a bunch of junk." This was accompanied with the gurgling sound of someone's tummy rumbling. "Is it lunch time soon because I'm starving."

"How can you think of food at a time like this." Warning supergenious rant ignoring obvious priorities here. "We are in the middle of an archeological, mythological, and inter-dimensional breakthrough." The sister continued to not care or notice that now two of us were beginning to want food asap.

"Who would have thought that our expedition would have led us to a real live dragon cave to solve the mystery of an ancient time machine, or that we would find a living being from another reality which would help us."

"What was that?" Britanny retorted, rather annoyed and very very perturbed voice. "I can't hear you over my...tummy rumbles."

"Just look and see if you can find any tools. Dread...I mean 'Swiftwing' said all the things we needed were these things from the compartments."

"Hum, yea."

"And if you see anything that looks like a philps head screwdriver, let me know Igor." Gina teased her sister.

"Sure thing...what did you just call me?" Britanny's level of aggression was great as her voice sounded like she was about ready to have a throw-down with Gina.

"Gina don't." I warned.

"I said if you find a philps screwdriver let me know...Igor." Oh boy.

"IGOR? Igor huh? I still owe you from yesterday." Britanny's fury was most obvious, and not something I wanted anything to do with.

"Gina, if I were you I would apologize asap." I warned.

"Oh please Alex don't worry. I do this to Britanny all the time."

"You think you would have learned."

"Yea...you think that I'm going to forget this? That you can get away with this just because I'm in puny mode? That my memory is just going to fade away when I'm back to normal?" Britanny said standing up and looking her sister dead in the eyes.

"Oh come on you two. I think it's a cute nickname for my cute little assistant." Gina tried to smile this off as a joke, which was not working one darn bit.

"Yea, uhhuh. Cute little assistant." Britanny looked like she wanted to bite Gina's head off, which I didn't blame her at all for.

"Here." Britanny thrust a sheet of paper into Gina's face. "I found this in the bag."

"What is it?" Gina asked looking at it, Britanny, and then me.

"I don't know, but I'm guessing it's one of those instruction manual things."

"Now that's ridiculous." Gina said in response. "An instruction booklet for an ancient...time-traveling bo...Holy cow these are instructions!" The genius exclaimed.

"Who's the Igor now?" Britanny said. "Maybe I did see one of those philpshead screwdrivers around."

Gina sat indian style as she looked over the piece of paper, studying it carefully.

"This language is very cryptic, but I think I can decipher this." Gina rose to her feet in making this analysis. "Britanny, Alex, lets go back to our room."

"Here Cheetah, let me carry that for you." I said returning to normal and slumping the bag over my shoulder.

"Awe thank you." She smiled. "You know I can't remember the last time a gentleman actually offered to carry my bags for me."

"Probably because most guys see you lifting several tons on a regular basis and think 'this ain't happening'." I joke with her.

"Maybe, but I take it you could carry that easily with one of those hunks you become."

"Maybe, maybe I could treat you to a demonstration?"

"Oh? and what demonstration would that be huh?" She smiled.

"I'll spot you when we get back to Atlanta." We continue our conversation as we walk back through the large hallway to the guest room.

"Really?" She jokes. "Just so you know, I regularly bench press trucks when the hydraulic press is broken."

"Oh I know. And I can juggle fully loaded semis and tanks if I want." She blinked at me.

"Now that, I would like to see."

When we finally got to the room, I finally learned why they do scene shifts in movies: the time between action scenes and plot development takes forever. It really was hours before anything really happened and so Britanny and I had the start of several games of cards, thanks to Gambit having a nearly endless supply of them...that and chewing gum.

"You sure you don't have anything beyond gum in those pockets there pal?" The young werecheetah asked as she drew 18 to my 20 in a game of black jack.

"Sorry my fair le'petie, but your pal Remy don't have none but a few sticks a gum and a lot of cards." I say as I deal out the next hand. "But to make it up to you, I promise that I gonna fix you up a fine Cajun cuisine, and that I garoontee."

"You know, you are quite the charmer." Britanny said going back to her watch as Gina was busy doing her observations. "So any special lady friend waiting for you back in your world?"

"Oh now that a personal question, but I guess I don't have no qualms answering." I say. "See now chere, your friend ain't so smooth on his own now and not many fine femme like you where I live, so there not a special lady waitin' for me back there." Visible card two of hearts on her side, I had the three of spades and the jack of clubs. "But I do have someone awaiting home I gonna have to see soon."

"Oh? So you have a friend or...?" Britanny poked.

"No petie, I have a cat." I respond, with a roguish grin. "Dealer has a three and a jack, player has a two. Want a card?"

"Hit me." She saids.

"Now why would I go an hit a pretty thing like you, but if it's a card you be wantin'." I joke as I put down the eight of diamonds.

"Okay so you like cats, that's good." Britanny smiles. "What about werecats?"

"If they all be as sweet as you my dear petite, then I be feelin' I be falling in love with a werecat just fine. Player has ten showing, want another card?"

Gina more or less ignored us as she was messing with what looked like the remote for my old stereo.

"One more minute, and then it's tiiiime." Britanny smiled as she glanced at her watch.

"Yea." Gina said half dreaming. "One more...minute...to solve..." In a flash she was busy looking at the strip of paper in her hand and the jotting down every thought she had.

"Wow this is tight. But it doesn't make sense, unless...that's the coefficient for time space continuum...The formula for perpetual motion and the perfect guacamole recipe. Jenkies." I really wasn't paying all that much attention, as Britanny put her cards down and held her stomach.

"I wish it was close to lunch time." Britanny commented. "You sure you don't have a can of tuna or somethin' in one of those forms?"

"Sorry petie, I looked. Not a crumb be in site."

"Damn." Britanny cursed.

"Who wrote this thing? Where did it and the Time Raft come from?" Gina was so in rapture with her studies that she failed to notice that Britanny's watch went off.

"Alright." the lithe female who was playing cards with me said. "It's morphn' time." With one arm reaching towards the heavens and a look of absolute badassness on her face, the once adorable and cute little lady instantly transformed into a statuesque and voluptuous cheetah woman with only a gust of wind to show for it.

"Okay ms Igor." The now very threatening woman said to her now shorter and fearful sister. "In the name of the moon I'm going to punish you."

"Uh oh..." Gina commented as she knew what was about to happen. I did too, which is why I started rummaging through Gina's things for her camera.

"Oh no not the noogies." Gina commented as I just had to add to it...I really couldn't resist and I changed from Gambit to myself, and then to Moon Knight.

"Another victory for you Kogtsu." I said as I started filming. Britanny was laughing her head off while rubbing her sister's head with her knuckles so she didn't notice.

"Oh come on Britanny." Gina cried.

"I'll only let you go if you get me a can of tuna." Britanny commented as she continued to nooggie her sister. I, still as Moon Knight, was just laughing it up.

"Forgive my intrusion." I heard a very polite, formal, and perhaps English sounding voice call from the door, thus distracting. "But...there is an urgent matter that must be brought to your attention."

I lowered the camera and could sense the spell around Tark, and remembered that this was when the elves wanted to turn Gina to there side. "Oh crap."

Yep as I thought the look on Gina's face was one of pure desire. She was probably enamored with the magically enhanced image of the male body before her just as every other time the movie ran.

"If you're seeing what I'm seeing Brit?" Gina said, "Because if you are...he's mine because you got Alex." Gina said as she.

"If I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing, then I'm seeing the most yummy thing I've ever seen."

Damn, not doing this. Not letting this scene play out.

"Tark drop the damn disguise! Britanny isn't seeing what you think she's seeing!" I yell as I get between the two of them.

"But what? Who are? How?" Tark said as held out my bow staff.

"Do it now."

"Hey Alex what gives?" Gina said teary eyed. "My sister not enough for you that you think you have to try and get me too?"

"Hey pal you want some of that, just let me have my fill and you can have the rest." Cheetah said.

"Oh for the love of..." I changed as fast as I could, knowing Britanny's speed, from Moon Knight, to myself, and then to Dr. Strange.

"Incantation, disperse." I said as the Sorcerer Supreme.

Tark was in shock as he felt the incantation drop around him and was staring into the face of the most powerful magic user on Earth and two confused women.

"My apologies friend, but while your incantation was working as intended on young Gina Diggers, the voracious Britanny was filled with a desire beyond lustful gratification." I explained. "While I have no doubt you would have been able to find a way out of this, I didn't wish to risk what would happen had you not."

"Uh what's going on here now?" Britanny asked. "Where did that yummy tuna holding the milk go?"

"Tuna holding...what are you talking about sis?" Gina sighed. "Where did that yummy hunk go?"

"It was a simple, but powerful desire enchantment my dear. To cause this man to seem as the object of your greatest desire." I explained. "For you Gina, you wanted more carnal interests, while Britanny, you were after a meal."

"Ah dang, now I'm even hungrier." Britanny cried. "You sure there's no tuna around?"

"But that hunk, I..." Gina said as she was on her knees.

"Tark call your wife. You have no need to fear us as we are all really on the same side." I changed back from my more...outlandishly garbed identity.

It was a few moments later that Mesha, Tark, and the rest of us were all gathered inside the room.

"So it's true, his name is actually Dreadwing." Gina said.

"Yes it is true, and he would probably kill you all if you had succeeded Miss Gina."

"Forgive us Miss Gina, Miss Britanny, and Mr. Alex, but we are desperate. But after what we attempted to do, you are owed at least an explanation." Mesha said with a heavy heart.

"And yes Dreadwing is a powerful dragon Miss Gina, powerful and evil." Tark added. "But without the Time Raft, without it's mysterious control over the flow of time, he is vulnerable."

"So if he has this Time Raft working what happens?" Gina askes.

"Long ago, after Dreadwing first found the Time Raft, he enslaved Tark and me." Mesha started. "His power was greater then. He had entire kingdoms pledge themselves as his slaves. Any who opposed, were crushed." The elf continued.

"He had the Time Raft, but he craved more power." Tark continued the tale. "slaves...armies...nations."

"Is Dreadwing just a power mad freak or somethin'?" Britanny asked, very thankful that the elves were able to conjure up something for her to eat.

"We don't know why, but in the centuries we have known him we sense that there is something he fears...something he can't face alone, even with the Time Raft" Tark replied. I knowingly looked at Gina and smiling.

"So if he had this Time Raft working, what happens?" Gina asked.

"If he is as obsessed with conquest as dragons are, I'm guessing that he would probably get back to the business of pillaging, plundering, and demolishing." I add.

"Yes, there is not doubt in my mind that he would attempt to restart his conquest." Mesha said, very heavy hearted.

"Wait, where did Dreadwing find this time device? And how did he get his hands on it in the first place?" Britanny asked while looking back and forth between the elves and myself.

"Don't look at me Cheetah, that's a plot hole I don't think was ever answered in the whole 15 years of this comic's run." I replied, the elves looked at me like I was crazy...well maybe I was but hey it works for Deadpool.

"We don't know either Miss Britanny." Tark answered as he and Mesha looked very down in the mouth, or more specifically down in the ears as those had dropped like dogs with their tails.

"I've got it." Gina sprightly commented. "I've solved the puzzle. Dreadwing isn't strong enough to take over the world without the Time Raft right? Right. So here's what we do, that is if you don't have anything to add Alex."

"Go ahead, I'm waiting till we here your plan."

"Alright good. Well we fix the Time Raft so that it never can be used again, and then slip out of here. Simple." She said very proud of herself.

I gave her such an incredulous stare at that. "Simple? Yea right. Look Gina great idea in concept, but that's the overall objective, not a battle strategy."

"Oh like you could come up with a better idea." Gina quipped at me.

"Yes, but not without blabbing it that Dreadwing hears us." I say.

"Well then, lets go." The genius of the group said as Britanny led us out of the room and down the hallways, making sure to watch for traps and such.

I decided to fall behind everyone to act as the rear guard and shifted into a white garbed being with black arm and leggings holding a approximately 6-7 inch metal tube. Silently we tried to make it to our objective, but while Britanny was thinking of things around the corner ahead of us, I expanded my senses to see if I could detect anyone that was unseen by the lead of our squad.

Low and behold there was one of those stone beasts silently watching us out of view of the rest of the group. Faster than a snake striking I thrust out my unused hand and grabbed out at it as the beast found itself lifted by unseen power concentrated on it's throat. I clenched my fist hard and the beast's head and neck crushed and crumbled to the ground as a pile of sand.

"Got your back." I whispered as Britanny smiled and indicated that the pathway was clear. We rushed ahead, or as fast as we could rush and Gina was moving more like a light trot.

We avoided a few more close calls and finally Mesha cried out. "Gina, this way out."

The darker skinned elf said as she pointed to the seemingly unguarded Time Raft. "We can leave as soon as you have disabled the Time Raft."

"Right." Gina said as she started to move closer to it. "I think I know just what to do." The genius was walking head long right into a trap. I grabbed her wrist and stood between her and the Time Raft.

"Hey what the?" She said to me in a hushed tone.

"Don't you know a trap when you see one?" I berate her. In an instant a mighty clawed hand dropped from the sky as I grabbed Gina, ignited my lightsaber and sliced into the dragon's claws while force jumping several feet back.

"AAAHHHHH!" Dreadwing cried out as my green energy blade had cut him deeply. "I had hoped that we could avoid any unpleasant confrontations Gina Diggers, but it seems that you have picked up a curious new friend. One who I wouldn't get too attached to."

"Dreadwing, you are nothing more than an insignificant wyrm drunk on power." I retort back to him. "If you release your prisoners, forfeit the Time Raft, and let us live in peace. I will let you live."

"Let me live? HAHAHAHAH." The beast chuckled. "You amuse me Alex. You really think that you merely shape shifting will be able to save you from my wrath?" The Dragon boomed with laughter. "What possible magic could you possibly posses that could rival that of myself and my Time Raft?"

"The power to destroy an entire planet is insignificant to the power of the Force." I reply, waiting for him to strike. Gina was laying behind me choosing the wiser of the concepts and staying protected from harm as best she could.

"AHAHAHAHA." Dreadwing laughed at my reply as he made himself fully appear. "You amuse me, but no one threatens my life and lives." The monster's size was great, but for a jedi, size is irrelevant. "None may harm Gina, as she is my new slave, and the elves have been of great service to me, but for the other two: Kill them."

Britanny, very insulted by this said as such "Hey I'm smart too."

The beast's cruel laughter was all I could hear as he summoned a series of those stone beasts and sent them launching towards Britanny and myself.

"CHEETAH!" I cried as I threw my lightsaber at the first beast, slicing it in half.

"Protect Gina!" My tall friend cried as another one of the beasts launched itself at her and slammed Brittany into the wall. The beast unleashed punch after punch to Britanny's gut before she smashed the thing's head in with a hard kick and sent it flying. Recovering quickly Cheetah rushed the thing, grabbed it by the neck, smashed it's head in, and then proceeded to slam it into peices followed by a massive explosion of magic.

I couldn't watch all of what my new friend was doing as I was busy trying not to get killed myself. Dreadwing was summoning more and more of those stone beasts imbued with his power and I was getting sick and tired of taking these things one by one. I grabbed Gina by the collar and used the power of the Force to rush out of distance from most of the beasts.

"Everyone get away from me!" I cried out as I concentrated the pure raw energy of the force in my hands. I held it back for as long as I could, feeling it grow in magnituded between my hands. As the things got closer, I couldn't help but smile. It didn't take long for the charge to complete as I let loose with the Force Push I had been saving. Scores of them, the whole assembled force against me, went flying back and proceeded to smash to pieces as they impacted Dreadwing's magic shield and the stone fortification surrounding us.

"So you are a powerful sorcerer. A pity I must now destroy you." Dreadwing smiled. "For I could have used someone like yourself."

"You had nothing of any value to offer." I spit at him as I see the monster summon another legion against us. Tark drew his own energy sword and Mesha enraptured herself with enchantments as I began to execute the dreaded sith slash and smash attacks on my stone foes.

Britanny was occupied wrestling with these things with her bare hands and continued to smash and hammer them with her fists and feet. Gina, unable to think of what to do to aid in the attack, stood back in fear allowing Mesha to shield her. While Tark's blade and Britanny's firsts were making some progress taking out the troops little by little, I decided to play the number's game.

The force lightning of the sith slash sent blue arcs of energy through these things instantly debilitating them while using the sith smash crushed their numbers while holding a good number of them back. I used this time to jump over their heads and hover for a moment or two deep within their protected wall. I once more summoned the force to me, concentrating it's great power near my chest, and then...WOOSH. The stone forces not absolutely crushed to pieces on the ground, were thrown just as before every which way.

"Stay close." Mesha warned Gina as the female elf conjured a powerful spell of protection for her and our friend. Using this defense, Mesha hurled several energy blasts at the monsters, destroying the foe upon impact. One brazen attacker did launch itself on top of the defense, but couldn't get to the girls.

"We can attack them, but they can't attack us." I heard Mesha exclaim as Gina pulled out her pistol and blew the stone monstrosity's chest out.

Tark was busy too, as he whirled his energy sword in the same manner as my own, slicing his opponent's heads off and setting loose the blade as a spinning disk of death. It impacted hard into the head of one creature and Tark used his magic to lift the thing up and draw it towards Britanny who clobbered it right at the neck.

I would almost claim Tark a jedi as he continued his brave assault. I saw him take out two more foes, but was smacked hard across the face by a clawed hand and fell to the ground. Britanny was at him in a flash as she grabbed the aggressor and hit it with supersonic punches. The stone matrix of the thing's body cracked and shattered as before.

"Watch your back." Britanny said to Tark, who had still not gotten up from the blow her received.

I had hated to leave my friends, but I was too occupied with facing Dreadwing himself and drawing as many of the fiend's remaining stone forces as I could away from my friends.

"What bravery, or foolishness you seem to posses." He said to me. I ignored him as I was letting loose the raw power of the Force with near reckless abandon as Star Killer is known to do. "Tell me do you really think you stand a chance of beating me oh little wizard? Do you really think 'you' and your friends are any match for me?" It seemed that dragons truly are full of themselves as much as the legends say.

"Oh just SHUT UP!" I yell as I double jumped high above the fray, pulled back my arm, and let fly my light saber. The green energy beam struck hard into the dragon's maw and was imbedded into his skull.

"RAAAAA!" Cried Dreadwing in more pain than he probably felt in a long time.

"You STUPID FUCKING LIZARD!" I landed softly with my back to him, channeling the Force again, but unlike before I didn't push anything; I set him ablaze with the terrible power of pure Force Lightning. From clenched fists to outstretched hands, I felt the cascade of electrical discharge fly unabated from me, to my saber, and through that the dragon. Dreadwing's body lit up like the night's sky of a great city. After a few minutes, I could unleash no more of that power, and stopped. I relaxed and telekineticly summoned my blade from the great beast, who was now smoldering from my attack.

"Did you just see, what I think I just saw?" Gina asked as the stone beasts seemed to be loosing their aggression.

"Damn..." Brianny said in awe, the stone foe in her hands almost going lifeless. But then...

"INSUFERABLE INSECT!" the vast purple abomination cried out. "YOU THINK YOU CAN DARE CHALLENGE ME!" He rose again, this massive foe, this unholy monster of pure evil and selfishness.

"I AM DREADWING!" The roar of his voice shook the very ground and brought me to my knees trying to get better footing. "YOU ARE NOTHING!" I was trying to ready myself as he pulled back one of his great talons and backhanded me to my friends, beyond, and into a wall.

"Now see oh pathetic sorcerer that a little lightning is no match for me."

"ALEX!" Britanny cried out as she saw the hole I had made. Before the monster in her hand could do anything, she crushed it like a bug. "You BASTARD!" The werecheetah's pure feral yell of unleashed emotion was accompanied by the foolish and brash attack right at Dreadwing himself.

The lady was barely noticed as the dragon indulged himself on feeling her pain and suffering. "So much the better than you cared for him, now I shall enjoy seeing your pain on your face as I kill you." The beast's toothy grin was sickening as he was about to swipe Cheetah out of existence, that was if it weren't for something that flew out of that hole and bashed out his teeth.

"YEAAAAA!" Dreadwing cried out, grabbing his mouth in shear pain trying to hold his teeth in. "What was that?" The object in question happened to be a very large metal hammer with runes carved in it that shot back towards the hole and into the outstretched hand of a 6.5' tall blond man as big around as a boulder dressed in chain mail, wearing a winged metal helmet on his head, and with a long flowing read fur cape.

"Alex...is that...you?" Gina asked as I flew out of the hole, holding the hammer tightly in my right hand.

"It can't be..." Tark said.

"But is that..." Mesha commented.

"Foolish and foul beast of Midguard." I said in a booming voice. "Though hath threatened life for the last time." I felt the great magics of the uru hammer embolden me as I could feel faster, stronger, and more powerful than ever. "Taste the uru hammer Mijouner's might and see what a 'little' lightning can do."

Faster than I could imagine I soared to the monster, twirling the hammer above my head as I did so. Electricity arched through the air far greater than any of that I could unleash with the force as I prepared my attack.

"Now prepare to face the Odinson!" stricking hard ontop the beast's temple, Dreadwing head buckled.

"No way." Gina said in shock.

"Wow..." Britanny said as she blushed in awe. "And I thought his other forms were cute." She chuckled a bit at that.

"Miss Britanny, please get back here." Tark cried out as the stone foes were beginning to attack again.

"Damn." Britanny muttered a small curse as she rushed back and aided Tark and Mesha.

Said female elf was still concentrating her power, but this time she used a series of rapidly spinning balls of magic. Each one coursed through the tunnel and exploded upon impact with one of the monsters. Gina, finding great courage in herself, fired again and again and the not-so-concentrated attackers. Plasma burst after plasma burst burned through the sky as the super genius pulled the trigger. Taking only a moment to reload, she stood her ground almost begging for them to attack again.

I was more focused on Dreadwing though as each swing of my hammer sent lighting tearing through him and the air like no storm every seen on Earth since the flood of Noah.

"Tark, do you honestly think that Mr Alex could have?" Mesha asked.

"Aye, it is possible, but how could he..." Tark answered his wife.

"Okay what are you two going on about now?" Britanny asked as she crushed one more stone monter's head with her foot.

"It seems your friend has summoned the power of the gods, or a god." Mesha said.

"Wait what now?" Gina asked as she two couldn't believe what was just said.

"Ms Britanny, Ms Gina, if what he said is right then Alex as turned into Thor himself." Tark said as he sliced another beast in half.

"Wait Thor? God of Thunder of Norse mythology, you're joking right?" Gina said, looking at Tark and Mesha like they had lost their minds.

"See what you see Gina and tell me if I truly am joking."

"Dang, guy pops out of nowhere, says he's our fan, starts changing into crazy super guys, and turns into a god? Wow, definitely going to see about keeping him." Britanny smiled as she licked her lips.

Romance was the last thing on my mind as I was laying blow after blow upon Dreadwing. Arching smashed to his head one way and then the other, radiant bursts of electricity flying in such a way that he was struck in multiple places at once, and direct bashes to his forehead causing radiating quakes of power were being layed upon my foe as led a relentless assault on him.

"Thus thou now surrender beast, or thus thou still crave the taste of uru?" I say as I stand ready to attack again.

"No oh thundering one. I still 'crave' the taste as it were." His wicked grin was not nearly as threatening as before since my first attack had removed most of the teeth he had, but in one instant I found myself grabbed within his mouth and swallowed whole. "Terrible, but let us see you get out of that fool."

It was dark, damp, and not-at-all where I wanted to be. I could feel myself sliding down a wet expanse as the beast body rumbled as he chuckled. I was near panic as I found myself once again human, and thought only one thing...escape. I didn't care if I was going to have to claw my way out, I was getting out of here.

"So, now that he is taken care of, I'm sure you realize you have no chance of actually succeeding in destroying me." Dreadwing arrogantly said to the remaining 4 of his attackers.

"You fucking bastard." Britanny growled.

"Well yes, I suppose I am, but still I shall saver this moment for...rahhhh!" Dreadwing's new cry of pain was from something he continuously was forgetting about: me.

You see when I said I would even claw myself out, I was being literal. As the dragon grabbed at the pain in his side, three metal blades trust out and cut clean through his skin. Then another set of blades sliced the other way, and then...

RAAAARRR!" Out tore one really freaking pissed of 5'3" tall blue, yellow, and black garbed Canadian.

"Alright bub, you just pissed me off bad." Once more I took to the air, landing on Dreadwing's exposed flank. "And I don't like it when I get pissed off." I tore into him as I climbed up onto of his back, slicing at his flesh all the way.

"What...but how?" The monster could not comprehend what had just happened to him. He thought he was done with me, but I was sure as all get out not done with him.

"You attacked my friends, hurt them, threatened Britanny and Gina, and then tried to kill me. Bub you are DEAD!" I let the Berzerker rage take over as red energies seemed to just flow off of me. I was diving, slashing, stabbing, dodging, and cutting with rage I could never have imagined feeling before.

"You didn't like uru much, so lets see you taste adamentium" I twirled myself around on one foot and acted a a buzz saw as my claws sliced through dragon skin, muscle, and right through bone. Unable to reach me, Dreadwing couldn't stop my assault as I cleaved one of his wings right off. It fell to the ground in a pool of blood with a great crash, causing a massive gust of wind to blow with it.

"AAAAAA!" The monster was caught between being in shock from my initial asssulat, and the fact he now lost one limb that he didn't even attempt to retaliate.

"Gina quickly, the Time Raft." Mesha said.

"What?" Gina said, still watching the fight. "Oh yes right. Britanny, Tark buy me some time." The genius was running as fast as she could towards the device, dedicated to the sole goal of deactivating it.

"On it sis." Britanny said, cockily attacking the last remaining stone opponents. More or less thinking this was in the bag. Tark too was feeling that victory was assured, but didn't take this as lightly as Britanny did.

"Lets see how these guys like a real werecheetah kicking their butts." Cheetah smiled as she almost promenaded through them.

"Britanny don't be so cocky, we aren't done yet." Tark remined her.

"AHHHH! YOU ACCURSED VERMIN!" Dreadwing screamed as I was holding onto his massive back with my blades. "You shall pay for this." I was too busy tearing at his spine and preparing to take off his other wing to notice was was going on in the area to his front.

"Bub you talk too much." I flatly said to him as the indestructible claws of Wolverine sliced Dreadwing's other wing off. "And now you got to change your name yeh stupid punk."

The beast didn't think that was funny at all as he finally shook me off his back. Covered in dragon's blood and other such mess, I still landed to the floor without missing a beat and was ready to leap at him once more.

"You have proven yourself to be an impossible opponent...but I think that there is one you care about who isn't so resourceful." Amid the falling teeth, massive bleeding, and overwhelming damage to his head, back, and the loss of his wings, Dreadwing still was able to mount an attack on us.

"Oh no..." I thought as the beast raised up on his hind legs and unleashed a burst of flame from his mouth. "BRITANNY!"

I tried to reach her, I did...just the flame was faster. I could barely look to see it as the woman I had been so enamored with lately, who had made me a friend, who was so nice to me, was now blasted with dragon fire. I was too late. I couldn't take the smell of her burning flesh anymore and was again just me, just me to see her face in such a state of innocent shock. Her flesh and skin burned and the reek of overdone steak filled my nostrils...I could help myself as I just held her and cried. Tears ran down my face and onto her's.

"Ah so now I see. You do care about the young lycan bitch." Dreadwing addressed me. "If I had known that I would have done this earlier." This was about to be one very dead, very smashed, very very dead piece of salamander squat.

"Bri...Britanny...?" Gina cried, as her eyes filled with rage. "You Bastard, you killed my sister." Dreadwing's glea at hearing that was phenomenal. He began to make magical circles in the air, but never got the chance to use them.

"Dreadwing." I said very quietly. "You have just made me very, very angry...and you...will not like like me...when I am ANGRY!" Britanny's head felt smaller and smaller to me as I roared with fury. My cloths ripped from me like damp paper, my body grew and expanded, and before I could even think it was so, I was cradling her head in the palm of one very big green hand.

"Pretty kitty lady Hulk friend, now Hulk loose friend." I wept. "Evil lizard thing take friend from Hulk, so Hulk take life from EVIL LIZARD THING!" Dreadwing never knew what hit him, or could comprehend what a 12' tall green monster was doing as I slammed down hard on his already wounded head.

"HULK SMASH!" I bounded off of Dreadwing's bleeding noggin and came down like an asteroid with two fists right on his crown.

"Gina quickly, while he's busy." Tark said as the last stone beast fell to his emerald blade.

"Right." The remaining Diggers sister said as she busied herself with the Time Raft's controls. "Give me a little time Alex, then we will make this jerk off pay."

"Blonde lady work on silver thing, Hulk have smashing to do." I said jumping off Dreadwing's massively damaged head. "Hulk will make bad guy pay."

Dreadwing's wrist was my landing spot, and I landed hard. Two solid punches broke the bones in his talon, while I twisted over his wrist and brought him down to his knees.

"How is it...how could you possibly be so...strong?" He whispered in pain, barely able to mutter a word.

"Hulk is strong, HULK IS STRONGEST OF ALL!" Not even thinking, which really the Hulk is not known for, I broke his wrist and moved to one of his digits. "And Hulk no like you, no like...bad guys..." I pulled on his digit with all my might, finally ripping the thing off of his body. "So Hulk make you PAY!"

I reared back and let fly the clawed finger not caring wear it hit, only that I let it go with all the strength I had. It was the last thing Dreadwing saw out of that eye.

"AHHHH...You demon." The vile monstrosity pulled his head back, and was able to yank me off of my footing. "You dare...you dare to do this to ME?" No more was he the powerfully intimidating foe of earlier. Dreadwing was now a mass of bleeding, broken, decimated reptilian matter who was lost two wings, one hand, and one eye. He was only bairly able to swat his digit away and out of it's lodged socket, tearing his great red eye out as he did. "Me the great Dreadwing?"

"You no great anything...you are just another piss-ant excuse of a dictator. Dragon or no dragon." I lost the Hulk form, tired from what I had been doing. But I wasn't done yet.

"Alex what are you doing?" Gina asked, as she completed her work on the Time Raft.

"Hahahaha." Dreading laughed as he spat up blood. "So you do have a limit to your power. Fitting that now I still can win after all that pathetic attempts to destroy me, you still don't have the power to do me in."

I looked at Britanny's body, I looked hard at my friend laying there, and all I wanted was...Vengeance.

"No you peice of crap. That's not it." I didn't just want to kill this monster, I wanted him to suffer for all eternity. "You have acted as if you, you...nothing are more than an overgrown and insignificant excuse of a reptile beyond all judgment. That you could get away with everything just because you are powerful, because you are strong..." I knew I was taking a chance while talking, knowing that he could blast me at any time...good.

"That I am!" He boldly stated. "I am Dreadwing, fear me." He again unleashed a blast of fire, but this time it wasn't going to do him any good.

I had already changed before the flames hit my body, already had decided who it was who I was going to use to do this monster in once and for all. It shocked everyone to see I wasn't blasted away by the flames, but that I was walking through them. Well not me, but rather a humanoid being with muscular build, wearing black biker leather, and holding a very big chain.

As the flames, dissipated before the dragon stood not a man, but a flaming skeleton. The chain, long, cold, and wrapped around my body like a bandoleer, I pulled out to full lenght and let it drag on the floor for a moment before I swung it over my head letting the power of the Ghost Rider flow through it. It spun around in ever widening loops till suddenly it sparked with infernal red energy and blazed to life. I snapped it hard onto Dreadwing's kneck and let it sear into his flesh for a second.

"Dreadwing." My voice was calm, direct, airy, and would send shivers down the spines of the bravest soul. "Your soul is stained with the blood of the innocent." I yanked down hard on the chain, pulling his head to the ground as I moved one hand over the other. "You have ruined countless lives, taken from everyone for yourself without a care, and ended every life you come across till now."

One hard final yank and his head came crashing to the ground with a loud thud. "You guilty." I pointed right at him as I glared into his remaining eye. "Feel their pain." I could actually taste the fear of this dragon looking at me. It was great and vast, unending, and he shivered seeing me.

"Look into my eyes." I commanded as I felt the flames jet out from my sockets and into this monster's soul. I saw civilizations burned to the ground, innocent lives of humans, elves, lycans, dwarfs, and many more cut down. I saw so much true Biblical evil that day, I shall never forget it.

I couldn't tell how long I held him there, how long it took for the eons of time to pass as the vile monster's soul was burned to a cinder, but it did eventually pass. It was probably the most joyful moment I had felt lately, to be over with that necessary but still gut-wrenching ordeal.

"It's over Gina." I said turning back into a human. "He's done for, but still alive." The three remaining friends of mine looked to see the blacked eye of the dragon and it's seemingly lifeless body remain there. "Do it."

I walked over to Britanny and held her as Gina nodded. Pressing a button on the control unit she explained. "This is a warp field...a paper thin singularity...a controlled black hole." I knew what was coming, and looked forward to it.

"Nothing can escape it, not even the super massive explosion of the Time Raft's self destruct sequence." I could hear her tears as she said this. "You killed my sister. Die bastard."

Dreadwing, burned raw by the penance stare, gave no words in the brief moments that it took for the time raft to open and the device to go off. His organic tissue instantly incenerated in a bright flash of white-blue and nearly blinded us all. Only the dragon's skeleton remained, and that wasn't holding together well at all.

"Gina we..." Tark said as Gina took Britanny from my arms and hugged her.

"No Britanny." She said as she looked at the stunned face of her beloved sister. "You said that we were comic characters, you said that we were..." Gina slapped me before getting off of her sister's body. I just took it.

We both were too...too hurt to look up as the object of our mutual mourning sat up and spoke.

"Somebody killed me?" Came the shocked and airy statement.

"Britanny!" Gina cried out as she wrapped her arm around her sister and I yelled "Cheetah" as we both hugged her.

"Owe...no hugs please, trying to regenerate." We both let go of our injured friend.

"What the matter with you two? After all this is supposed to be the first comic right?" She joked, but only barely.

"Oh right, duh, sorry." I slap myself in the face.

"Yea I think I have some ointment in my backpack."

"Gina, Alex, we owe you two our lives." Tark said kneeling.

"If there is anything we can do for you..." Mesha continued.

"Well for one you're kneeling days are over." Gina said.

"Yea, rise and enjoy the sweet taste of freedom. It's just what heroes do." I smile as I try to relax a bit.

"When we get home I'm going to soak in a bathtub full of aloe." Britanny said. "Unless you got someone there that's good at healing others there sweet stuff."

I will never take that smile for granted. "Give me a while Cheetah, I'm sort of out of it right now." I reply as I didn't do much for a while.

"I'm afraid that we don't know any holy magic." Tark said as he and Mesha stood up.

"But we will use our magic to help you transport Dreadwing's treasure."

Treasure was a bit of an understatement. The vast riches this horde held could not be counted. Gold coins, bars, plates, and slabs several yards in size littered the ground like a series of gleaming hills.

"Sweet, first thing I'm going to buy is some new skin." Britanny smiled as she walked forward to see her prize.

"Hey, why don't you all join my science team." Gina said as she adjusted her glasses and stared at us. "We could use some experts like yourselves."

"You don't have a science team." Britanny pointed out.

"I do now." The genius in mini shorts said. "We'll call ourselves the Fantastic Four, or five, or..."

"Oh no." Britanny and I both said.

"First of all that name is taken, and Marvel would sue your butt off for that. And since Marvel is owned by Disney, the mouse would be suing you too." I tell her. "Didn't you remember what we went over before we went through the cave?"

"Yea look, make with the Tylenol. First thing I'm buying with my treasure is a shower." Britanny said as she chided her sister greatly.

"Oh come on you two, where's your sense of fun?" Gina said as we began to move the treasure.

"Right about where my sense of self-preservation is." I respond. "and don't think you are going to try and use me to get into even more dangerous situations for personal gain. I know you Gina and as much as I think you're awesome, I'm not using my powers that way."

"Oh come on, what's wrong with making a little cash off of what you can do? It's just good sense." Gina tried to persuaded me.

"Ask Spider-Man about his uncle Ben next time I turn into him for that one."

"So you aren't sticking around?" Britanny asked looking very sad at this. "I thought that you really..."

"Like I'm dumb enough to walk out on you? Please." I smile at her. "I'm staying with you as long as I can Cheetah. Only a dullard would even consider not being around you as often as possible."

"Good, because if you were leaving I'd have some words with you." She mock threatened me. "Now lets get this treasure out of here and back to civilization. I need a shower."

Thus it started, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

To be continued...

Author's notes:

Alright this idea has been in my head for over a decade and I finally put it to paper. I plan on continuing this through the cannon story line, while trying very hard not to write myself as too powerful a being. I'm going to have to go through my pocket manga collection for the first 4 sets of what to do next, but if anyone has ideas I'm open to them. Please be so kind as to add a review when you can.

Agent Reptile


	3. Betwixt and Between

Gold Digger the Insertion files

Chapter 3: Betwixt and Between, what happened before it all happened?

I own nothing owned by others. This includes Gold Digger, Marvel, DC, Transformers, and any other series I may use. I'm making this for fun and get no profit from it.

Well folks, when last you saw me I had just helped Gina and Britanny defeat Dreadwing, free two elves, and scored a large treasure...or part of a treasure as Gina and Britanny are owed a third of it each too. But since I was shot into a DVD then what happens? Did I get sent back to the beginning of the film to re-live this entire screw-up for all eternity? Thankfully no that didn't happen. What did happen is that Tark and Mesha were able to manipulate the forces of magic and shrank Dreadwing's vast gold and treasures into a convenient carrying size.

"So how exactly are we going to get all this gold out of here?" I asked no one in particular as Britanny's burnt flesh and fur shed off and fresh tissue replaced it. It was more interesting than disgusting and looked no worse than my cat shedding.

"It is quite simple really Mr. Alex." Mesha smiled as she and her spouse Tark (who was also smiling). "Allow us to show you." The pair of fae summoned their magical powers and the great treasure started to lift up and began what reminded me of the scene from "Sword in the Stone" with Merlin packing up the contents of his home. Granted there was no sentient sugar cup or musical number but it did have the same result.

Holding a very large bag in his hands, Tark helped to make sure that the constant flow of material to be stored didn't hit a snag in the line. The sheer tonnage of glistening gold that was compacted into a small carrying case was awe inspiring.

"Wow...what a way to pack." I said in spite of myself as Britanny giggled and Gina just smirked at me.

"You know pal, that was going to be my line." The brainy blonde playfully chided me.

"Oh put a sock in it will you Gina." The tall werecheetah said as she took the bag from our male elf friend and carefully tried to lift it using only one hand. "Dang it's heavy. Probably going to have to take shifts to carry this thing out Alex."

Britanny's assessment was not meant as a criticism, but rather just an observation. Though Mesha did seem apologetic for not being able to remove any more of the weight from the bag than was already done.

"Actually we could just have Alex turn into that giant green guy again. You know the massive mountain of muscle who clobbered Dreadwing with nothing but his fists." Gina said thinking the answer was that easy. "He seemed like he could have just carried the treasure by himself."

"Excuse me? What giant muscle guy?" Britanny asked as she set the bag down and started to scratch her head; bits of fur came off as she did. "Did I miss something important while I was dead?"

"Oh yes the great and powerful being that Alex became after he saw you hurt." Tark said as he remembered that form as well. "After Dreadwing nearly killed you Britanny, Alex here became very angry, in fact very very angry and changed into a being of great strength and size who was able to break the dragon's bones with one blow and ripped off one of Dreadwing's talons."

Mesha continued as I tried not to think about being the Hulk, though I wasn't sure why. I knew that the Digger's sisters had a weakness for muscular guys, but in retrospect it was more that I didn't want to try and bring out Banner's other persona unless needed.

"Wait you're telling me that our little friend here turned into someone who easily dwarfed me and smashed the Dragon with is bare hands?" Britanny smiled as she said.

"Wait little?" I thought to myself. Okay Britanny was 7' tall in hybrid form but I was not little.

"After he saw me get hurt?" The werecheetah finished, and was looking at me with those big green eyes and a smile that was even bigger.

"Um yea well you are a friend Cheetah and it greatly upsets me to see a friend get hurt. And since I was more angry than I had ever been I just used someone I knew could take Dreadwing apart."

"Well thank you for caring so much." Britanny said in reply as she hugged me a bit, though not a really big hug as she was still a little sore. "And if someone hurt you I'd kick their butt too."

"Anyway you two," Gina interrupted. "why don't you give Alex room so that he can try to turn into that guy again and just carry the treasure out of here?"

"Sounds good to me. I'd love to get a chance to see what that guy looks like." Britanny dropped the bag and moved away from me so that I had plenty of room to give it a shot.

"Sorry but no." I tell everyone.

"But why? You have already shown an ability to control that great being? And while you did seem simple of mind, that form did have more than enough strength to carry this load easily out of here." Tark asked.

"Well see, you're sort of wrong there. I didn't have all that much control over the Hulk as much as I gave him a target to unleash his anger on. Don't get me wrong he is a great hero and all, but that force of nature is best used when you don't want what you are fighting to exist for long."

"Surely he is not all that bad, or dangerous as you say." Mesha countered.

"Yea, yea he is. The main reason that superhero teams will have the Hulk on their side is because he's too powerful to want to make him an enemy, course he also does try to do the right thing but can't control his power too well..." I try to excuse the idea, but I figured that Britanny still wanted to see me Hulk-out at least once.

"Okay, but if you have access to as many characters as you say then surely another one is as strong without being so dangerous?" Gina pointed out. "And if that's so then you could still carry the bag for us."

"True there. Give me a moment to think please."

I pondered and pondered who to use. Guessing that Britanny could lift about 15 tons without difficulty, and she considered the bag heavy then I would need to use someone who was in the 100 ton bench press range, and more controllable than Hulk. Also I'm in a cave so I have no idea if Superman would be able to do the job as he needs the sun I wasn't sure how much of a charge he'd have before I turned into him, nor would Captain Marvel be a good idea with summoning lightning down (if it could actually go through the rock above and that I didn't know). Colossus could do it easily, but if Tark and Mesha needed magic then his metal skin would get in the way of that just like before. Thing maybe? He could do it, but I was never a big fan of the guy and his massive build would make it impossible go get through small openings and such if needed. Thor? Used him before but I didn't want to use someone I already had...sort of a braggart that way. But maybe someone like Thor, just with a nicer personality and a slightly different choice of weapon.

"Got it." I said as I snapped my fingers.

"Oh, and who are you going to use this time?" Britanny asked as she leaned over in anticipation.

"That's whom Britanny, not who." Gina corrected her younger sibling as she cleaned some smudge off her glasses.

"Okay then whom?" The werecheetah yelled at her sister and stuck out her tongue to Gina. Which caused an equally immature response from the other blonde, and the sisters were going to start bickering soon.

"Lets just say, I have the POWER!" In a blinding flash of light I did the whole superhero transformation thing as a sword of power materialized in my hand, my form replaced by one of a far taller and vastly more bulky body, and my cloths changed from typical western get-up to arm bracers, furry boots, and my mostly bare chest protected only by a crossing metal strap.

Where once a normal human stood, now was the most powerful man in the universe: He-Man the defender of Eternia. I swung the Sword of Grayskull in my hand for a moment the set it in place on my back. Granted such a use of my abilities for such a small manner could be seen as abuse by some, but I figured that I was just using the talents I had for some good use.

"Wow..." Gina said, right before I heard her glasses drop to the ground.

"Uh Gina." Britanny said. "Did Alex just turn into hunkzilla just now?"

"Oh yea." Gina smiled hungrily.

"Well anyway my friends I shall be able to carry our luggage without difficulty from now on." I said to the elves facing me, trying to delay what I knew was going to happen. "Is there any more that I can carry for you? Any private items or personal mementos that you wish to bring with you? I don't mind doing all the lifting for you."

"Why thank you Mr. Alex, but Tark and I really only have one another." Mesha said as she smiled and hugged her husband.

"And that is really all that matters to us. That, and our shared freedom." Tark smiled.

"Then let us be off. If no one has any objections." I smile as I easily picked up the cargo and swung it over my shoulder.

"Um Alex...would you mind doing me a favor?" Britanny said as she started to limp a little walking towards me.

"Oh? What can I do for you Cheetah?" I had a good idea what she was going to ask, but you weren't going to hear me complain.

"Well I'm still a little sore from being blasted with fire and all, so would you mind carrying me too?" She pressed herself to my, or He-Man's, or whoever's chest and started making circles with her finger tip over the "H" in the center of my armor. "If it's not too much trouble for youuuuu..." I knelt down a bit and lifted the beautiful werecat up in one arm like I do my cat so often. While Britanny was far bigger it was still the same.

"There, better my friend?" I smile at her and let don't even mind that her hormones are probably racing for the more attractive features of the Eternian prince. I figured that it was like her and her alternate forms; no matter the outside it's still the same person on the inside in all of them.

"I hope that I'm not holding you too tightly or rubbing a sore spot."

"Don't even think of it handsome." My cheetah friend said as she hugged me and set her head on my shoulder, though turning her head quickly and sticking her tongue out at her sister again before resting once more on my shoulder. Her tail was wrapped around my arm as an anchor. "Now lets get back to civilization while you tell me all about this guy. You have my complete attention so don't worry."

"Oh of all the..." I heard Gina huff and fume as she stomped off to follow the two elves to the exit from the cave, and who were also being lovey-dovey as the saying goes. I didn't blame them at all as this was the first time the couple had been free in countless centuries and had a future to look forward to.

"You know she's just fooling with you right?" Gina yelled back towards us. Which caused some chuckles from the two elves.

I figured that Gina was just being jealous (an emotion I knew a lot of) and that I should just let her fume. This thought was interrupted by a very familiar sensation in my ear, that of the soft and reverberating purr of a happy kitty. Although she said I had her complete attention, Britanny had dosed off to sleep in my arm with her own wrapped around my chest and neck. I smiled as I followed the other member's of our party to freedom and just let my friend recover and regenerate. All the while little things would pop out of her mouth that caused me to blush a bit.

With none of those stone monster things, and no apparent traps, we were able to make our way out of dragon's den easily and out in the open sunlight. It was good to get out of that mess, and likely was even better for Tark and Mesha as I have no idea when the last time they actually saw the sun was. It would be interesting to see what exactly what had changed since they were forced into Dreadwing's service, but since this was an isolated and very rural part of England probably not a whole lot.

"It's beautiful." Mesha said as she looked at the large amount of trees and rolling hills.

"Yes, but doesn't look that different from centuries past." Tark observed. "But I don't think I'll ever take a day of it for granted again."

Gina was more focused on returning to our previous campsite at the moment, and Britanny was still napping so neither one said anything in reply.

"So where exactly do we go to now?" I asked aloud, and to no one in particular.

"Well first thing is that we find the campground again and collect our things, and then we make out way back to civilization and to our pilot Ace." Gina said as she pulled out her PDA and started messing with it.

"Just as soon as I find where our base camp is," Gina smiled. "We can start heading back to civilization. Shouldn't take too long once we get out of these woods." The attractive and shorter blonde smiled as her personal computer unit made a registering tone indicating that she had found what she was looking for.

"Well saddle up partners we're heading West." She smiled as she pointed in the general direction indicated on her device and proudly marched on with the rest of us in tow.

Like Gina had indicated the campsite where we had stayed before heading into the cave was not really that far from us, and was a pretty easy walk (though it felt weird as I had never had fur skivvies before or boots). I was really hoping that Britanny didn't ask me to pose around in this form too often. He-Man's awesome and exceedingly useful but there was a reason he uses Battlecat for traveling long distances.

"Cheetah you still with us?" I asked the mass of spotty fur attached to my arm.

"Yep, but you really are too comfortable to just let go of." The werecheetah smiled as she squeezed me a bit harder.

"Well thanks, but we are here so I do have to put you down, as much as I hate to." Britanny pouted a bit but agreed and hopped off of me and smiled as she headed to where she had left her stuff.

"Glad you finally decided to wake up." Gina said as she was putting her tent away. "We have a lot of work to do if we are going to reach any sort of civilization before nightfall."

The brainy blonde had a good point as I had no freaking clue where the heck we were and in reality only Gina and Britanny had a clue where to start walking to. If this was open ground I could try some sort of vehicle mode and just drive everyone away, but since it's not that idea does not work.

"Yea you're right sis." Britanny said as she groaned. Stressing herself for a moment, the graceful and powerful woman who had shown great interest in me dashed around the camp site in a flurry (or perhaps more truthfully furry) of motion in which she grabbed, packed, folded, and tossed together her stuff into a moderately sized backpack. "There all done."

I had half expected her to give a sarcastic tone to her voice, but instead I only heard sincerity and an air of tedium. It was as if the amount of time it took her to gather her stuff, only a few seconds, was a boring waste of her time.

"Well that's that. You done yet Gina?" Britanny said as she adjusted the weight of the pack on her shoulders.

The older of the Digger's siblings smirked as she merely pressed a button on here PDA like device in her hands and all the things she had left at the site, which really wasn't that much, instantly vanished from sight.

"Very interesting magic you have access to Ms. Gina." Tark said as he saw what happened. "Tell me where did you send all your things?"

"Oh that's nothing really." Gina smiled with pride. "Just your basic subspace storage device, which I invented and patented. And it allows for easy storage of all manner of things to be retrieved at a later date."

As Tark and Mesha looked at it in wonder, and Britanny deliberately tried to find something else to look at (I not being one of them) I had a rather curious thought that maybe this subspace she was using was the same dimension as the DCU Phantom Negative Zone and the Marvel Negative Zone...or was it the other way around? Regardless of the name, perhaps this subspace is the exact same dimensional gap that exists in other comic universes. I only hope that it's not or that those universes don't cross into this one as the last thing any universe needs is to face the likes of Zod or the bizarre alternate universe monstrosities found within those zones.

"So are we going now? I thought we were on a schedule." Britanny nearly spat as she continued to look around disinterested.

"I'm sorry but I was waiting on one of you to show me the way out of here." I politely retort, well politely and playfully.

"Oh I'm not blaming you cutie." Britanny apologized, finally taking a renewed interest in me. "How could I be upset with a gentleman like you with such a sweet face?"

"hussy" I heard Gina huff.

"Uh thank you, but really I have no clue where we need to go so I'm going to have to follow your lead here." If I was my normal self I would be blushing so much my head would resemble a radish. Fortunately I seem to have far better control of my feelings and reactions when assuming other personae, so I was only slightly blushing.

"Oh I'm going to be more than happy to uh...lead you where you need to go." Cheetah said in a very seductive tone as she wrapped her arms behind me. "But I'm going to do so from behind for a bit."

"Huh?" I asked as I felt her furry tale tickle me a bit.

"Don't blame me Alex, you chose this guy so don't get upset that I'm going to be giving him a complete looking over." Britanny was going a little overboard with this, and I wasn't sure how much longer I was going to be able to control myself. Having never been shown this much attention by so stunning a beauty I was beginning to wonder how much more I could take.

"She does have a point there." Gina said as she took the lead again. "You did choose that particular guy and say that you read our comic so you know exactly how my over active sister thinks. Therefore any and all things that happen are on your head."

"Yes well...shall we be off then?" I say as I follow Gina through the woods. Her lively skipping jump was not encouraging.

Thankfully it did not take long before we did finally come across some sort of indication of civilization, but it was only a dirt road.

"Well now what?" Britanny asked as she looked around for some indication of where to head to.

"You mean you didn't leave a vehicle here or have some arranged transport for your return?" I asked as I put the sack down on the ground.

"Nope. Thanks to little miss hormones over there the taxi driver was a little...scared off from picking us up." Britanny said as she used her thumb to indicate Gina.

"Who is miss hormones now thank you very much?" Gina berated Britanny. "Besides you can't say that he wasn't cute and had an accent to die for." Gina's incredulous look, annoyed huff, and generally ticked off demeanor indicated that once again these two sisters where deep in a long standing argument.

"This is the British countryside Gina; every guy sounds that way." Britanny nearly yelled back. "Besides he wasn't that cute and had that horrible set of buck teeth."

"So what? He still should have been nicer to us and more appreciative of the fact I was complimenting him." Gina said back while walking along the roadside. I had a better idea.

"We could argue this all day, and it would get us nowhere." I say going back to my real form. "So why don't we just say enough is enough and try to actually get to a hotel or inn."

"Fine by me, but how are we going to carry that loot and make it to town without you being Samson's blond brother?" Britanny asked.

"I think I have an idea." I smirked as I grew again. Not into He-Man or Hulk, or any organic superhero. Cold blue/black metal became my body as two massive cannons formed on my arms and my height overwhelmed all the others standing around. "This should work."

My voice was a grizzled mix of southern and Texan with a bit of drill sergeant and instead of feeling muscles and skin move with me I felt the spinning of servos and hydraulics. I walked a bit from my friends and started part two of my idea. Instantly my body was twisting, moving, turning, adjusting as the robotic form of Ironhide was configured to that of his GMC topkick alternate form.

"Well everyone." I said popping open the doors. "Climb inside and rest a spell."

"Nice." Gina said as she took a look over the massive 4X4 I had become. "How long were you going to hold out on this one pal?"

"I was waiting till we had some open ground to allow me to change. Drop the sack and your other stuff in the bed and climb on in." Britanny did as I suggested and was able to lift the gold holding bag and her traveling pack into the bed that was my aft and shut the tailgate.

"Um excuse me but how are we supposed to get inside this mechanical chariot? No offense meant Mr. Alex." Mesha asked as her mate was equally clueless.

"Don't worry Mesha, Britanny and I will show you." Gina answered before I could. In a matter of moments they were buckled up and ready to go.

Gina was situated in my driving seat while Britanny had requested the shotgun position; claiming she liked the greater leg-room. Only once did Gina make the mistake of attempting to drive me, and well.

"Lets see we take this turn up here and we can make it to a small town in about half an hour." The brainy blonde noted as she took the wheel and gave it a turn, only to find that I pulled her seat belt back a bit and that I took control of the wheel from here.

"Hey what they heck?" Gina said in shock. "This truck possessed or something?"

"No this truck is our friend." Britanny said back. "And I take it that you like being in control?" She said speaking into my dashboard, which was about a good a place as any to speak to me as I could actually hear her just fine if she has talked to me normally.

"You got it little missy, and don't try shifting gears either little lady. Last thing I need is a new transmission." I gritty tone was harsh, but not intended as I actually become the character I turn into. Realizing I may have insulted them I made a more friendly suggestion. "Now why don't y'all just relax and let old Ironhide get you where you need to go. I got clear satellite radio if anyone wants to listen to some good music."

"Why not. Can't remember the last time I've been chauffered around and didn't have to pay for it." Gina said smiling.

I started doing a long-range scan of any and all signals to find a good station. And found started to play one very fitting song that got an instant laugh out of the two front-seat passengers.

"East bound and down, load it up and truckn'. We're going to do what they say can't be done." The two blondes went into a fit of giggles.

"We're in the English countryside, driving down a dirt road..." Gina started.

"Inside a truck that's really a nice guy who turning into an assortment of super-powered guys and at least one transforming robot..." Britanny continued. "With a country accent..."

"And the first thing that he turns the radio to is a song from 'Smoky and the Bandit'." They say at the same time in-spite of themselves.

"Oh why not." Gina said as she turned the volume up a bit and joined in.

"We've got a long way to go, and a short time to get there." Gina said as she started singing.

"I'm East bound just watch ol' Bandit run." Britanny said as she started singing at the top of her voice too.

"Keep your foot hard on the pedal. Son, never mind them brakes.

Let it all hang out 'cause we got a run to make.

The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there's beer in Texarkana.

And we'll bring it back no matter what it takes." We all sang together.

"I really wish that I knew this song, as it has been a very long times since we have been able to sing just for the joy of it. Or have reason to." Tark said as he smiled at his wife.

"Well partner why don't you and the misses just listen a spell." I suggested as I turned the music down a bit. "When you feel up to it, just join in."

So there were were: an autobot, a werecheetah, a super genius, and two elves all moving driving down some forgotten English back road towards a town while night was falling all trying to sing a song by Jerry Reed. And there was a large bag of treasure in my truck bed, a bed I quickly covered over with a top cover so no one could actually see there was a bag there. This is how we drove into the town as dusk was settling. A long day over and needing to find a place to stay for the night.

"So little lady where does that device of yours say we can find a place for a pair of ladies and a nice couple?" I ask after we all did finally have enough fun singing.

"Well shouldn't be too far. About two blocks on the left. But aren't you going to want a place to sleep too Alex?" Gina as she looked up from her computer.

"Oh I'm going to be sleeping just fine. Just going to be watching your stuff out here while you enjoy the comforts of a nice bed and a good shower." I didn't really mind doing this as the cold and such didn't bother me nor did anything else. In fact being a truck felt, well right at this point.

"You sure you don't mind?" Britanny asked as she leaned a bit closer to the center console. "Really paying for a room for you wouldn't be a problem."

"Shucks pretty lady I'm flattered, but someone got to watch the loot. Besides, I don't think you be wanting to explain why a truck turned into a robot and then into a man do you?"

"Well you have a point there." Britanny said as she sighed. "Still I don't feel right about leaving you alone in the cold."

"Naw don't worry about me, I'm built tough." I beam with pride. "You just take that refresher you need and in the morning we'll get up early and head out."

Britanny sighed but agreed.

"See you in the morning then." The werecheetah said as she playfully tapped my dashboard and stepped out.

It wasn't a bad night, strange perhaps but not bad. After my friends had gotten settled in the inn and were nestled sound asleep, I found that yes cybertronians do dream. My doors were locked, my parking brake was on and my engine was off and yet my mind was still active while not actually being active. While like every other dream I've had in which I am a part of, it had the appearance of being through a digital camera. Let's say that it was an interesting night for me, and one of many more to come.

The morning was thankfully not as eventful as my previous one and as soon as Gina payed the bill, and Britanny surprised a few locals who were almost ready to go looking for pitchforks, we were on our way once more back to the states.

"So ma'am where's our stop?" I asked after making some distance between us and the town.

"The airport at Yorkshire. We have a friend who should be waiting there named Kevin. He'll be flying us home, or to our home I should say." Gina said as she used her minicomputer's GPS function. "We shouldn't have any trouble getting..."

"Gina please for the love of Charley Tuna don't finish that sentence." Britanny cut in, and if she hadn't I would have as I knew that what Gina was about to say was a classic cartoon set-up if I ever heard one.

"Okay fine." Gina said as she started playing with her device and left the driving to me.

Thankfully she was right and it did not take long at all to get out of the backwoods and rolling hills and into the more urban expanse. I reluctantly agreed to let Gina drive me to the location once we got into town for a few reasons. One being I didn't want to be pulled over, two I didn't know the way, and three I wasn't used to driving on the other side of the road like they do in England.

Thankfully the drive through the city was more or less the same uneventful situation as before, minus a few gaukers who thought I was some sort of big deal. Course Gina just took the opportunity to flirt with the cute guys who came to take a look see, and I chuckled at this. Britanny was thinking that her sister was a bundle of hormones as she mumbled under her breath. My Elven friends just chuckled as they found the whole situation most amusing.

The looks on the English seeing this monster of a truck driving through their town was nothing to the look of a certain young African American who was sitting on a packing crate. He looked to be in his twenties with a baseball cap on and a newspaper in his hands.

"Whoa there chia, where'd you get the ride?" He asked as Gina hopped down from my chrome stepping guard.

"Oh you won't believe me if I told you Ace." Gina replied happily as the other doors opened and the other three travelers got out.

"That was a very nice ride." Mesha said as she was helped to the ground by her husband.

"Indeed. Never have I had as a comfortable trip, much less one in a magical chariot." Tark said as I shut the doors and opened my truck bed.

"Magic smagic. I'm an autobot." I said in reply, and to Ace's shock.

"Did that truck just talk?" Kevin asked as he dropped his newspaper.

"Yes and no partner. I'm not really a truck." I answer while Britanny huffed the large bag and her stuff out of the bed and moved towards her friend.

"Hey Ace." Cheetah called out, completely ignoring the conversation I was having with her friend. "Mind telling me where the plane is?"

"Uh sure chia, it's getting fueled up and should be ready to fly." Kevin said as he indicated where she could drop off her stuff. "Now how are we going to transport this new toy of yours I wonder."

"TOY!" I yell while style in vehicle mode. "You think I'm some sort of toy?"

"Cool it pal." Cheetah cried back over her shoulder. "Ace has been a long time friend of mine and while I like you, I won't let you yell at my friends. Got it mister?"

"Uh yes ma'am. Sorry, I forgot my manners." I sheepishly called back towards my lycanthropic friend.

"Good. Now Ace allow me to introduce our newest friend, Alex." Gina said indicating me still in truck form.

"You made friends with a talking truck?" Kevin asked her in a hushed tone.

"Not exactly Ace." Gina said. "Is there anyone else around this part of the airport? I'm not sure how to explain this to any looky-lues."

"Not a problem chia, I know you like your privacy so I made sure that we're where no one will notice use for a while."

"Good." Gina cheerfully chirped as Britanny returned from dropping off the luggage. "Ace allow me to introduce you to our latest friend, and person who saved our lives, Alex."

With Gina's indication I transformed from my vehicle mode to my robotic mode of Ironhide and popped a few gears into place like a human cracks his knuckles.

"Nice to be able to walk again." I looked down at whom Gina had introduced me to. "Ah so you are Kevin "Ace" Kos? Gina and Britanny's friend and personal pilot?" I smile at him while letting him gawk a bit at the robotic form of Ironhide.

"Um yea that's me." Ace said, taking this whole matter as if another day in the office, till I turned back into my normal self.

"Name's Alex, Alex McLean. Sorry about yelling earlier, I don't have complete control over the guys I turn into." I offered my hand and we shook.

"Naw, no sweat man. So how did you do that whole truck-robot thing?" Kevin asked me while picking up his paper.

"Oh it's not just robots that Alex turns into Ace." Britanny said as she hugged me. "He can change into a whole range of guys, and used his powers to help Gina and I take on a dragon, free those two elves, and apparently is from a world where we're comic characters."

"What?" Ace asked as he had no idea how to follow what was just said. "We are supposed to be what now?"

"I admit that it's an outrageous claim, but as incredible as it sounds Alex has shown that at least part of what he says is true." Gina added. "Try not to think about it too much as that helps a lot."

Ace just nodded his head in agreement and went over the details of the flight with Gina while Britanny (in typical cat mannerism) got bored and started to go find something more interesting to take part in. I decided to follow like a puppy dog, which sounds dumb but really what else was I going to do.

"So what's up?" Britanny asked me as she found a place to sit down for a bit.

"Uh sorry?"

"You've been following me pal, so I'm guessing something's on your mind." Britanny answered back as She leaned towards me and bent just enough that I was able to get a clear view of her cleavage in that tight fitting sweater. This when combined with her great height meant that I was close to bopping my head into hers.

"Um yea, ah...Well there is...something on my mind and I..." okay I'm a dolt when it comes to women, much less when it's someone as stunning as Britanny and knowing about how happy she is with Strype in the comics. Yep it was confusing for me.

"You know, you're cute when your flustered Alex." Britanny smiled. "But really I'm just a normal girl when you get to know me and you've already shown to be a genuinely nice guy so if you have something on your mind you can just say it. I'm not going to bite."

"Yea I know, since your lycanthropy is sealed anyway I don't have to worry about going furry if you did." I chuckle a bit and sit down next to my friend. "Not that being furry is wrong, just don't think it would suit me."

"Ah but you'd look cute as a werecat, but I get it." She smiled at me. Dang getting a good look at those green eyes was a shock. Completely unlike human eyes my cat-like friend's pupils were surrounded by a see of very reflective yellow green that looked like precious stones. "So spill."

"Well Brit...I mean Cheetah. I do have something on my mind and it has to do with you...uh I'm not sure how to say this uh..."

"You really don't have a lot of experience with this do you?" She smirked as she wrapped her arms under her chest and leaned back.

"Uh no, none actually. It's just, I've never had a friend like you before, much less one as flirty and genuinely nice to me. So when you ah kissed me I..."

"You?" Cheetah probed.

"I'm, well...sort of...I really like you Cheetah and I just wasn't sure how you would feel about a guy showing up claiming to be from a world where you're a comic book character, and that such a guy was...beginning too..." No guy can really stay mentally focused when dealing with one of the Diggers girls and thinking of something of the heart so don't judge me on this.

"Well..." Cheetah thought for a moment. "I would first consider how that guy has treated me and my family, how he's acted around me, and how forward he is being with me."

Britanny took another moment to think and continued.

"And of course how much respect he's shown me."

"Okay." So far things could have gone either way, but I was probably more nervous than I'd ever been before.

"But most of all, I would consider how cute the guy is and how sweet he's being to me." This last part was ended with a big hug that completely encompassed me. "And you've been extra sweet to me so don't worry. Right now I think of you as a friend, and a very very good friend so I'm not against the idea of going out with you. But I'm still not sure about going beyond that with you."

"Well I guess that makes a lot of sense. But I'm very happy you consider me a friend."

"Of course I do cute stuff." She said letting me go and tussling the hair on the back of my head. "But I'm not sure I'd get my hopes up just yet if I were you because we have a lot to work on. For starters your sense of fashion."

"What is wrong with my sense of fashion?" I reacted looking at my blue jeans, boots, and other typical Western apparel.

"Nothing, except that you look like you walked out of an episode of Walker Texas Ranger." Britanny shot back. "Seriously when is the last time a woman shopped for you?"

"I live in Montana thank you very much. What else would you expect me to where?" I gave her the best incredulous look I could.

"Hem, true...but I'm going to have to do something about you only having one change of clothes. Don't worry pal, while I know you've probably had enough of women telling you what to where, going to malls, and all the like, but you've never had a gorgeous werecat as myself to show you how it should be done. I hope my reputation as a professional shopper is well known in the comic books."

"That and you have a credit card debt that rivals the national debt of some countries." I joke back.

"Can I help it that I have high class tastes?" Britanny joked. "Plus there's always the problem of me ripping my cloths apart when I shift forms, or fit me in it, or that can fit around my tail." My furry friend punctuated this by tickling me with it.

"Yea I can see that...but what if I could make a clothing that would stretch with you? That you could wear in either form and it fit perfectly." Her eyes went huge at this.

"You serious about this pal? You're not just pulling my tail...so to speak."

"Cheetah I would never pull your tail, literally or figuratively." I say back to her. "I'm sure that I'll be able to copy some unstable molecular fabric, but don't expect me to make anything thing that is up to your high standards for looks."

Britanny and I continue talking like this for hours, even after everyone else got packed up and we took off into the air. She was right when she said that she was a normal gal as I found she was very easy to just talk to. We did flirt a bit, but mostly we shared friendly banter between each other and I found myself feeling a lot less confused about what to consider doing. We were friends and there was something perhaps there, but no rush and no pressure.

"Well Cheetah, no offense, but I'm going to nod off for a bit." I finally said as I started to yawn. "If you need me just waked me up." I flipped my hat over my eyes and propped my boots on a packing crate. Before I could to sleep though, I felt a poke in my side.

"Yes?" I turned and asked the person who was keeping me from catching a few zz's, guess who that was.

"What? You said wake you up in case I needed you, and I need you." That got me up in a flash and Gina's head instantly turned towards us.

"Not like that!" Britanny cried. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" Britanny's question was of course rhetorical, but I really have problems telling that.

"Um..a lady...?"

"Oh you are just too much." Britanny said as she laughed at me.

"Tell me about it." Gina replied halfheartedly.

"Anyway." Britanny said as she huffed at Gina. "I need you right now to do something for me."

"And that would be?" I was about to just put my hat over my head again and say to heck with it, but I thought I should appease her for a while.

"To keep me from getting bored of course. You know how easily a cat gets bored."

"I also know how easily a cat goes to sleep." I grumble a bit and place my hat back in place.

"Oh no you don't." Britanny said as she grabbed my hat from my head.

"Hey now."

"Not till you play with me buddy."

"Oh fine." I said as I turn into Gambit again and begin to pull out a deck of cards.

"Nope, sorry but we played enough card games in that cave. Think of something else cutie."

"Man chere you know of any other game we can play?" I say going back to myself and really wanting to catch some zz's.

"I don't know, just think of something." Britanny cried out exacerbated. "Do you have any idea how awesome it is that I finally have a guy that I can talk to on these adventures? Face it pal most of the time I'm stuck on these trips with my brainy sister and no one that I can just talk with. I guess you were half expecting that we face dragons on a daily basis, or maybe get tons of gold every week that we blow on stuff right?" Oh how much I knew that was what was in the comics all the time.

"Well sorry to say but most of our adventures don't end nearly as well or are as exciting so come on and help me out here and lets play something, or do something, or...I don't know just keep me company for a bit."

"Alright sure, why not?" I finally gave in, figuring I could sleep later.

"Yay. Now any ideas what to do?" She asked me back.

"Well you woke me up so I figured you had an idea." I reply back, and got a hard glance for it. "Okay okay I'll try to think of something." I pondered and pondered and came up with a probably dumb or genius idea depending on how you look at it. Seeing some scratch paper and taking my hat, I placed my item of clothing upside down and handed a few sheets of paper to Britanny.

"What exactly am I supposed to do with this? hem?" My answer was as followed, I crumpled up the paper and tossed it at my hat, just missing the target and bouncing off the rim.

"Your turn." I said half yawning. I had thought she was going to play along, but instead she rolled up the paper in her hand and playfully bopped me in the head with it.

"I take it that you don't like my idea much?"

"No, I just thought mine was better." Britanny smiled at me, indicating she didn't really mean anything by it. "So try thinking harder cute stuff."

"Fine. If you are really that bored then maybe this will help." I didn't want to use my powers so flippantly, but I knew that when bored Britanny could be a real pain. Not as much a danger as Brianna would eventually be, but still Britanny could make the rest of my trip an absolute pain.

Knowing more about Britanny than I told I figured the only way to keep her entertained would have to be tuna, cookies, or probably best of all: a ball of string. And since I had would have to conger some out of thin air...it was spandex time again.

Going from my cowboy duds to a green, black, and white uniform I pointed my right hand out when a beam of bright green energy shot out from the ring on my middle finger and formed into a hand sized ball of yarn.

"Did you just create a ball of yarn out of a ring?" Britanny asked.

"Yep." I say willing it towards her. "Wanna play with it?" Britanny's cat side went ballistic at this and she rushed up and grabbed at the ball. She tossed it into the air, batted it around the ground, and gnawed on it. If it were not that I had Hal Jordan's concentration I would have lost all control and the yarn would have dissipated.

It only took a few moments for her to become completely wrapped up in it and she was loving every minute of it. Wrapped in the throngs of ecstasy with her new toy, Britanny was completely unaware of how silly she was acting.

"Yarn huh? Been a long time since I've seen her go that giddy for it." Gina said as she walked up to us.

"Yep, yarn." I didn't even take my eyes off the adorable sight of Britanny making an absolute fool of herself.

"You know, if I didn't know any better I would say you have the hots for my sister." Gina said as she chuckled a bit.

"Wait huh?" I said turning my head and loosing my concentration on the string dissipated.

"Huh where did the string go? Oh string...here string..." Britanny's cries for her new play toy caught my attention as she went looking all over for her toy.

"Uh, sorry Cheetah." I said to her and generated a slightly larger ball of yarn for her to play with. My feline like friend was once more a very happy kitty.

"Oh please Alex it's obvious that you're being sweet on her. Personally I may be jealous of the attention, but I'm actually impressed that you are being so nice to her. Most guys see her and instantly think that she so hot and try to rush into having sex with her, but ignore her after seeing her human form. You on the other hand have been that the utmost of your manners and have been going the extra mile to be friends with her." Gina smiled as she sat down and watched her sister play like a little kitten.

"So tell me, is your fandom crush everything you hope she is?" Gina pried, leaning in towards me.

"It's not that simple Gina, and I'm not sure how I feel about Cheetah...I mean she's hot, awesome, sweet, very affectionate, incredibly athletic, strong, but...there is something that I'm..."

"Look Alex it's obvious you feel for her, and that you care deeply about her. If you want my advice don't be so scared about what may have happened in the comics, and focus more on what can be. You being here changes everything so don't be afraid to let you be yourself and go with it. But if you hurt my sister in any way, then I will make you hurt no matter how powerful you become. Got it?" Gina punctuated he last part by getting into my face and attempted to make me flinch. Good thing Hal Jordan long ago learned to conquer even great fear.

"Got it."

"Good. Now keep quite. I want to preserve this moment for a very very long time." Gina smirked as she went back to recording. Britanny's purring was so great that it was vibrating the floor and I could feel it through my feet. I'd have stopped this, but Britanny was having such a wonderful time that I couldn't bring myself to.

After our flight, and the insanity therein, I found myself in the insanity of the Atlanta airport, in a more normal appearance. Britanny was still giddy as all get out from the gift I gave her and blushing like crazy that she every did something so silly in front of me. I had tried to say she looked too cute while doing it, but that actually caused her to continue to blush.

Thankfully, unlike last time where I was the vehicle of choice, Gina had made sure that she had left a vehicle behind in the parking lot.

"Well here we are." Gina commented as she clicked the unlock button on her keys and opened the gull-wing doors of a custom-made Lamborghini-esc sedan.

"Wow. Nice wheels." I said, noticing how much like it looked like she made a real-life version of Hot Rod from Transformers.

"Why thank you. This is my Gina Mobile Mark 1. A fully customized ride with..."

"The remarkable ability for the engine to flood when going over a puddle of water." Britanny interjected as she huffed the bag to the car.

"Sure that thing isn't going to break the suspension?" I ask as Gina popped the trunk.

"Why should it? It didn't break yours." Britanny said as she dropped the bag into place, then her and Gina's luggage, and then shut the trunk.

"Yes, but I was an extraterrestrial robot who was able to modulate my body into an extra large overpowered 4X4. This on the other hand is a sports car." I said with open palms towards the vehicle.

"I'll have you know Alex that this particular model is built to be able to carry far more than any mere sports car, as well as provide a quick and comfortable ride to all passengers. With it's built-in neutrino power supply the Gina-mobile Mark 1 can out perform any other street legal vehicle while carrying the massive load of Britanny's shopping trips."

"Okay then." I say as I got into the back seat and finally was able to catch some zz's as Gina drove, having not gotten any sleep during the flight and now fighting a minor case of jet lag. Britanny was sitting shot-gun, and Mesha and Tark occupied the seats to my left.

The next thing I knew, I was bolted to life by a pair of large hands shaking me and the familiar voice of a certain werecat urging me up.

"Oh we there Cheetah?" I said while half asleep.

"Yep, so get your cute little tuckus up and out of the car."

"You can be real pushy when you want to be. You know that?" I kid her as I stepped out of the ride and got my bearings.

"Oh I know mister. Now come on, my family is probably dieing to learn about our latest adventure and would love to meet you." Britanny patted me on the shoulder as she lugged the huge bag containing out treasure.

"If you don't mind Cheetah, I'm going to stretch my legs for a bit."

"Okay cutie, but don't keep us waiting too long." Britanny smiled as she took the large sack into her home and left me to my thoughts. I had no idea how I was going to play this situation as I remembered a little of what happened after the dragon, but not the details. Should I tell them about Brianna? Or warn them of the curse? Nope not doing. Tell Britanny about Strype? Maybe...nope not doing that either. If he exists and she falls for him I'll step back, but till then there was no reason I shouldn't explore something with Britanny if she wanted to.

I was standing there for a while, walking around the front of the large mansion. I knew that Gina and Britanny shared a small town house at some point, but it seemed at this point they still lived with their folks. So what would that mean? Well for one Dr. Diggers would probably do the whole demon head thing and no idea how I'd react with that...man I was over-thinking everything. I should have just walked into the house with Britanny and be done with it.

"Excuse me young man but I couldn't help but notice you with that particular young lady." I heard an older male voice behind me, but didn't really recognize what that would likely mean.

"Yea she's my new friend Britanny. Really awesome gal. Never met anyone quite like her, even forgetting the lycanthropy thing." I said.

"Oh? And how do you feel about her?"

"Not sure really." I answered still in thought. "I mean I just met her and I know she likes me, but at the same time I'm really not sure how to progress as I really want to show her how much I respect her as I'm not very successful with women."

"And by successful you mean what exactly?" I was beginning to wonder who this guy was.

"What? Look the fact is I'm not good when it comes with impressing..." I turned around to see a flaming skull with a pipe in his mouth behind me. "Oh hell."

"You were saying?" I had no idea who it was I was looking at, but I before I could allow myself to be attacked I reacted.

I didn't have much to work with, but I did have the Gina-mobile between us and I indented to fight. I shifted again, but this time I decided to use a villain for the first time. Garbed in purple and red with a ornate helmet, boots, and gloves, I could feel the world around me in a far different way as I lifted the car up.

"You want to fight demon, so be it." I lifted the Gina-mobile with the power of magnetism and launched it at him. "But know that you face no mere mortal man, but the phenomenal power of Magneto."

The moment that the car body slammed into this thing, he went sprawling.

"Okay 'Magneto', let me show you that I'm not someone to be trifled with either. Especially when protecting my own home." This monster blasted at me with some sort of mystic bolt, but oddly it deflected off of my magnetic shield. What was going on here?

"Your home? I don't think that the master of this home would be a demon." I shot back as I was struck by a far more powerful beam which knocked me several feet back and caused me to drop the car to the ground.

"And I didn't expect my girls to bring home someone who would so blatantly violent. Seems we both are getting to face the unexpected." This monster blasted at me again with magic.

This time I was ready though and was able to hold back his blast with a more re-enforced magnetic shield. With him focused on me, I was able to tear the nuts, bolts, and pipes from the Ginamobile and pelted my foe with them. This caused him to drop his attack, and I used this opening to tear the rest of Gina's car to pieces and used the metal parts to crush my opponent. Why a demon would be harmed by the parts of a car you ask? Heck if I know I just thought I was fighting for my soul and logic just got shot out the window.

"Now demon, allow me to show you the true power of the x-gene." I was being pulled into Magneto's personality and was preparing to obliterate this one I thought was a fiend and send him from the pit from wince he came. And I would have, if someone hadn't pulled me back to reality.

"Daddy what is going on here?" I heard Britanny cry out as she saw an older man now where the demon headed being was before. Yep I fucked up bad.

"Oh blast it." I was kicking myself in the head when I let him free from the twisted remains of the Ginamobile.

"Daddy you okay?" Cheetah said as she helped her old man to his feet, and looked at me like she was going to kill me.

"Quite alright my dear. First time anyone has actually fought me when I'm using my demon head. Now stand behind me as I'm not letting him hurt you." Yep it was Dr. Diggers, and I had just goofed up big time as I mistook the illusion he uses to scare the guys his daughters bring home for a demon from hell. Britanny took her place beside her father and looked like she was going to take me on as well.

"Oh bother." I sighed, expecting to have to try and explain my mistake to someone who likely wanted to kick my ass with magic and who happened to be the father of my new friend. "Wait please. I'm sorry but there has been a terrible misunderstanding here."

I tried to stop this from going further as I shifted back to my normal self and just stood there.

"Alex?"

"And what exactly would that 'misunderstanding' be young man?" Dr. Digger's aura flared as he looked like he was going to blast me again.

"I thought you were a demon." That did it. Instantly Dr. Diggers dropped his aura field.

"You thought I was a demon and instead of cowering in fear you attacked me?"

"Well yes sir."

"You actually were able to overcome the fear generating aura of my demon head? Impressive. I'll just have to demonstrate why you shouldn't do anything wrong with my daughters another way." This time Dr. Diggers' aura field this time was about 3 times as large as before. At this point I thought I was going to have to pull out some serious firepower to defend myself in a situation I didn't want to be in. Thankfully Britanny had a far cooler head and stopped things from going out of control.

"Daddy this is Alex, he is my friend." Britanny calmly said and grabbed her father's shoulder. "He's never done anything to hurt me, and you did say you were using your demon head so maybe he thought you were a bad guy."

"Is this usually how he handles 'bad guys' or am I a special case?" Theo calmed down a bit as his daughter calmed him down somewhat.

"Sorry about that, I sort of panicked after seeing your flaming head and..."

"Now now no need to apologize. If Britanny trusts you then I suppose that you are trustworthy. She is a wonderful judge of character." He took his pipe from the ground and shook it off before putting into his pocket. "I'm actually impressed that you did fight back. Most people just cower in fear and run."

"Thanks. Name's Alex." I stuck out my hand and he accepted it.

"Dr. Theodore Diggers. As you've likely guessed I'm Britanny's father. If you excuse me I'll be inside and would love to talk with you about my daughters' latest adventure with you." He smiled as he went indoors.

"Well pal you seem to have made an impression on him." Britanny smiled.

"Yea, I think it's from the front grill of Gina's car." I replied back. Britanny found that very funny and entered into a series of chuckles as she looked over Gina's pet project.

"Yea she's probably going to want to get back at you for that. You did totally annihilate her latest pride and joy."

"Maybe, maybe not..." I messed it up so it was my responsibility to clean it up. I shifted again into Magneto. Thanks to his greater sensitivity to the electromagnetic energy spectrum I was able to feel where most of the parts o the car where and gathered them up. The wheels, oil, gas, etc. were all gone, but at least I was able to gather the parts together.

"Nice cape, looks very good on you. While I thank you for cleaning up the the mess, you still didn't whole thing together again."

"Why thank you my dear. A leader must always look as best as he can when he is trying to inspire others." I didn't let her see Magneto without the helmet, just went back to myself. "And I'm not quite done yet."

I wasn't sure how it was going to work, or even if it would work, but if I did have access to the most powerful weapon in the universe then just maybe I could put it together again.

Once more as I turned into Hal Jordan, much to Britanny's delight.

"Hey this is the guy you used to make yarn for me." She smiled as she thought back to what I did on the plane for her.

"Green Lantern Hal Jordan." I start. "Guardian of space sector 2814 and first human member of the Green Lantern Corp." I say this with great pride as I look at the flaring green ring on my hand.

"Well no offense, but I don't think that you can create enough green yarn to fix Gina's toy." Britanny's misunderstanding of the Green Lantern's powers was understandable, so pardon me for showing off.

"That is only a small fraction of the power of that every Green Lantern is entrusted with my breathtaking friend." I raised my arm level and scanned the yard. In doing so I was able to gather the various pits of rubber, gase, lube, and the battery together. I then turned my attention to where I left the wrecked Ginamobile and blasted it with the emerald energies of the rig too.

With my concentration focused on my task at hand, I barely acknowledged Britanny's existence. I learned later that she was equally focused on the goings on and had the deer in the headlights look as if she had just found a mountain of yarn or had a pass to a tuna factory.

"Now all I need is the will and imagination...and..." The unlimited abilities the ring offers were truly wondrous as all I had to do was imagine the Ginamobile being repaired and the cosmic powers I was wielding did the rest. In a few short moments the car that I had destroyed was now looking like a showroom piece The various fluids, the tires, even the charge in the battery were all restored and ready to go.

"There." I say putting the car back on the road. "All back to the way it was and ready to drive again." My job done I just went back to myself.

"Remind me to call you whenever I have car trouble." Britanny said appreciating exactly what I had done.

"Yea I wasn't sure if that would actually work or not, but I'm glad it did." I said as I looked at Britanny and hoped that all was forgiven for accedintaly attacking her father.

"Well it did. And following the advice you said when that 'Magmeto..."

"Magneto actually."

"Whoever. Regardless since I'm the best looking now, therefore I shall do the leading." I would have argued with her about exactly what I had said, but Britanny took me by the arm and pulled me inside to meet her family in a more formal manner. I also hoped it was a far more civilized manner too. "And I know that the rest of my family can't wait to get to know you."

"They? Oh your mother is back today for her once a year visit?" I smiled as I was a big fan of Julia Diggers as well and couldn't pass the opportunity up to say hello. Besides I had impressed Britanny's dad somewhat, so impressing her mom would probably be a good idea too.

"Now how did you...oh right never mind sweety." Britanny waved me off. "Well if you must know, my mom is no longer cursed and hasn't been for several weeks. Thanks to our newest family member. I have to warn you though, she's very...grabby. And after seeing some of the guys you can turn into I feel that she will become obsessed with you."

'Wait a second.' I thought to myself as I tried to remember the early story line of the comic. 'Julia wasn't introduced till after the whole Gyphon arch, and then she wasn't able to stay with you permanently on Earth until Bri...but that was supposed to happen after Strype which was immediately after the Time Raft arch. What the heck was going on here?'

"Cheetah you don't mean?"

"Oh there you are Britanny. So did you bring any gifts for us from jolly old England?" She was about 6' tall with blonde spotty hair that reached mid way down her back and a single stripe of black on one side of her face. Her garments were revealing and she smiled so sweetly as she happily munched on what I supposed was a Tuna sandwich.

"Well not really Brianna. Brianna may I introduce my newest friend, Alex McLean. Alex this is my wonderful, and impossibly boy hungry sister, Brianna." Britanny said introducing us. Brianna had always been my favorite of the Diggers sisters and to finally meet her in the flesh...wow she was stunning.

Don't get me wrong Britanny was always a looker, but she was married and I respected that greatly. However now Britanny wasn't and since she wasn't making any references to having a guy Strype likely wasn't here either.

"Hey. Nice to meet you." Brianna smiled as she offered her hand to me. She wasn't going gaga over me, but to be honest I wasn't sure how to react as I had no idea what she was doing here. I was in a state of perplexed shock as I took her hand and shook it.

"You know Britanny how it is that you went to England for two weeks and came back with a cowboy has got to be one heck of a story. Though I have to say, he's not the usual kind of guy you try to bring home." Brianna joked as she rubbed her sister.

"I'm standing right here you know." I said, and was somewhat ignored.

"Brianna, you don't know the half of how true that statement is." Britanny chuckled. "And don't go trying to just have a quickie with this guy. He's sweet, nice, and a very good friend who has been nothing but a gentleman so I don't want you using him for just a quick romp like you usually do with guys."

"Hey now I'm not that bad." Brianna defended herself. "Look Alex is it? Don't let ms furry one here give you the wrong impression, I'm really a great gal who just likes to have a little fun."

"Nothing wrong with that is there?" Brianna continued this teasing me while doing the big doe or puppy dog eye thing and letting me get a pretty good view of her cleavage as she did so. I'm used to being the tallest around but with girls like the Diggers I was feeling very uncertain.

"No...no...provided that this fun isn't at the cost of anyone else, I don't cleav...I mean see something wrong with it." I stuttered in reply.

"Oh you are fun to tease, and so polite. I see why you're interested in him Brit." Brianna smiles at me while. "Well Mom and Dad will definitely want to see him. Just beware pal my Dad has a curious way of meeting the guys that we bring home."

"Dad's already met him, but he did want to have a longer talk with Alex here asap."

"Great. I'm looking forward to hearing all about how you met my sis so don't keep us waiting too long." Brianna walked on towards one of the other rooms of the house.

"Oh boy..." I thought to myself, wondering just how it was Brianna existed at this point. Did that mean that Genn was here as well? Probably. Heck with it, paradoxes and foul ups can wait till later, I had people to meet.

"Yea she has that effect on people." Britanny said as she chuckled. "But we still love her. Just be careful around her. If she learns about your ability to become a wide range of super beings she won't stop trying to drag you to her room till she tries out every one of them."

"I'll make sure to remember that..." I chuckled, the idea had crossed my mind of that very thing at least once, but since I was forming a closer bond with Britanny I figured that it would be a very bad thing to do.

"Well Britanny you sure took your time getting here." Gina smugly called to her taller sister.

"Now Gina that's not very nice." I heard an older female voice softly remand her. "Hello I'm Mrs. Julia Diggers, and you have already seemed to have met my husband Theodore Diggers as well as my other daughter Brianna."

"It's a pleasure ma'am." I said to her tipping my head with my hat in hand. "And all of your reputations precede you."

"Doctor Theodore Piqual Digger, aura mage and member of the counsel of mages in the realm of Jade. You father is Johnathan Diggers, also an aura mage at one time, who was cursed into the Lych King thanks to the actions of the wererat Gotherwaine a.k.a. Iceron. Trained in his aura powers by the same mage who trained your father, your magical abilities are phenomenal but you share the same weakness as all aura biased beings, being that metal shall instantly disable your aura field probably due to the magnetic nature of metal polarizing your aura field so it doesn't flow through your body."

"Young man how is it that you..?"

"Please Dr. Diggers I'm just beginning so may I continue?"

"I don't see why not. Do you dear?" Julia asked her husband.

"Very well, but I can't wait to hear the explanation. Plus if Gotherwaine is Iceron, as you say young man, then I want to have as much information on how you know this as possible." Dr. Diggers said as looked deep in thought.

"Trust me Dad, you can't wait to hear it." Britanny smiled.

"Marital status:" I continued. "Married to Julia Brigand Diggers, the daughter of the giantess Mummsy Brigand and the ninja master Tsunami Brigand. Mrs. Diggers you are a phenomenal marital artist who has trained since you could walk in the art of fighting and prefer a more pragmatic way of dealing with problems than relying on magic. Preferred weapon of choice is the rapier, but you are well trained in all martial arts weapons. Practitioner of the Shun Leep style your teacher was, and from all I know still is, a centuries old pervert who only trains women and forces them to wear incredibly skimpy clothing."

"Incredible." Dr. Diggers said as he took a whiff on his pipe.

"How exactly is it that you know all of this?" Julia asked me, with an edge in her voice and concern that her family may be under surveillance or that I was about to attack like some Bond bad guy.

"Don't worry I'm not going to attack or anything. I am definitely not THAT stupid." I defensively waved my hands.

"Well you did try to kill me, but that was a misunderstanding." Theo mentioned, but had a slightly stern tone to it.

"And one I hope never to do again. The reason I know all this, like I explained to your daughters, I'm not from your world. And in my world, you're all comic book characters." I thought that letting it all out in the open was the best idea. It seemed to have worked with Gina and Britanny after all.

"What?"

'I don't understand. If that's true does that mean I'm even less a person than...' Brianna wondered to herself, clearly still trying to figure out who she was as a person and that likely meant that she's still just going through her origin story. If I hurt her then I would never have been able to forgive myself.

"Young man that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." This one came from Julia as she looked like she was about to throttle me for the real answer. "Plus the idea that the elder wererat, which how you know about them in the first place I can't begin to understand, is the creator of all lycanthropes just does not make sense."

"Maybe, but it is the truth. Just ask Gina and Cheetah here how they met me." I pointed towards my new friends. "But it's not exactly like the comic. I mean for one Brianna you didn't become a character until a long time after Cheetah and Gina faced Dreadwing and defeated him."

"Dreadwing?" Brianna asked.

"Dreadwing was the dragon who enslaved us Ms Brianna." Tark said. He and Mesha had been sitting on a couch on the opposing side of the room and thus out of my view.

"But your sisters and Mr Alex were able to destroy him and free us from our slavery." Mesha added.

"You destroyed a dragon?" Julia beamed with pride at her daughters. Theo just looked like he was going to have a coronary.

"Well not really Mom." Britanny pointed out. "I sort of got fried by it. Gina and Alex were the ones who really kicked his ass. But you should have seen Alex go at the jerk. He literally tore that overgrown lizard apart."

"Britanny language." Julia reprimanded. "And how was it that you were able to take down a dragon Alex? No offense but I don't see you singlehandedly taking on myself, much less a dragon with as much treasure as Gina alluded to have acquired."

"Well Ms. Diggers you see...I kind a..." If they weren't going to buy the idea of being comic characters then there would be no way on earth they would buy my story about becoming video game characters. Just wasn't going to happen. I mean yea Theo saw me do it, but I doubted he knew what he really saw.

"Trust me, it happened. Just wish I recorded it." Gina smiled as she took a swing back on a bottle of some generic soda.

"If you wished to see it again, all you had to do was ask Ms. Gina." Mesha smiled as she wove an orb of magic.

"Theo what exactly is she doing?" Julia asked seeing the orb grow larger and spread to so that all could view what was going on.

"It's a memory spell my dear. Sort of like watching a DVD or VHS tape. The good news is that they are infamous for being unable to create false stories." Dr. Digger's explained as the events right before till right after the fight. I found a couple of folding chairs and offered one to Britanny, who accepted it.

Just about everyone's eyes were glued to the sphere, apparently enjoying the show. My eyes were darting about between Britanny's statuesque form, and the various faces of the other household members. While Julia, that is Mrs. Digger's, expression was one of pride as she saw her two daughters fight valiantly against Dreadwing's stone panther things, Dr. Diggers was looking at it with the sense "Dear God somebody could have gotten killed".

The story continued, and I'm not going to give recaps, but lets just say Brianna had seemingly pulled out a piece of paper and pen from who knows where and was jotting something down on the page every time I used a different guy. It wasn't long before the scene where Britanny got scorched appeared and...

"Brr." Cheetah shivered next to me. Her furry body puffing out like my own cat's does when cold as her entire body shook all the way down to her tail. I placed my hand to her back and rubbed it to try and reassure her that she was okay. I would have tried to rub her shoulder, but that was a little out of reach.

"It's okay Cheetah. Your fine and back home so it's okay." I know lame me, but hey she's a friend and I care about all my friends.

"Thanks." Was her only reply as she took my hand from her back and held it in her own much larger one. Squeezing it a bit as she watched herself fall more or less dead. Julia, Theo, and Brianna went ballistic when they saw this and had murder in their eyes. Little wonder as Britanny is there daughter/sister.

It was when they saw my reaction that their eyes nearly grew larger than their heads. Nothing in any of their lifetimes, or Gina and Britanny's lifetimes, could have prepared them for seeing the Hulk. Then to see me use that power to utterly annihilate a dragon. I looked away at the last bit, but I still am not sure why.

When it all was over I just sat there and was waiting to see how they would react. It was a sort of tense moment till Britanny looked at me, having just seen me beat the freaking snot out of Dreadwing and then burn his immortal soul raw.

"You did that, for me?" She asked me. "You demolished that monster because he hurt me?" Britanny was getting teary eyed at this.

"Well yea Cheetah. Your my friend aren't you? Anyone who would try to hurt you like that deliberately forfeits their right to live in my opinion. Course I didn't kill him but..."

"What exactly did you do young man? Not as this Hulk character but as the demon biker." Dr Diggers asked me, noting I had done something to the dragon before Gina obliterated him.

"That is the Ghost Rider, also known as The Rider. Spirit of Vengeance he feels the call of the blood of innocence spilled and punishes the wicked and guilty. What I did was burn the immortal soul of Dreadwing so that he never again would be able to hurt another living thing."

"You burned his soul?" Gina gasped. "I mean I should have figured something like that, but you actually..."

"Yes Gina I did." I replied back to her. "Dreadwing needed to pay for what he did, and I could think of no punishment more fitting that for him to be incinerated on the inside and forced to relive every evil thing he'd done through the eyes of his victims."

"So what now Daddy? Do you mind if Alex stays with us for a bit?" Britanny asked. No one seemed to be able to answer and it took a few seconds.

"Well I for one don't mind if he stays a bit." Julia says. "It's obvious that he knew just about everything about our girls, and us, and yet didn't hide it from anyone. And it's obvious that Britanny has some sort of attachment to him."

"True, and he's already shown an attachment of sorts to her..." Theo thought for a moment as he considered his wife's point. "Plus he has great courage and character to him as he was able to overcome my demon head's effects. Then there is the obvious point that he seems to have advanced knowledge of Gotherwaine's operation and if he is responsible for what happened to my parents, then that wererat will be brought to justice."

"Oh please don't let let multi-hunk leave, please don't let multi-hunk leave..." Brianna whispered to herself with fingers and toes crossed. Britanny just fasepalmed at seeing her more hormonally driven sister's antics.

"Mulit-hunk?" I ask aloud.

"Well young man, if you are willing to stay here for a bit I guess that I'm willing to allow you to stay. Provided of course that you can respect a few house rules. And since you know all about us, I want to know just as much about you and the characters you turn into." Dr. Diggers said.

"What a great idea Dad." Brianna said as she was up in a flash. "Let me get my camera so I can record all the wonderful posterior...I mean for posterity of course."

"Yea right." I said as the taller brainy blonde ran off. "So you have a few hours of nothing to do?" I asked the two owners of the house.

"I think so. Why?" Theo said as he lit his pipe again.

"Because this is going to take a very long time."

To be continued.

Author's notes:

Okay so rather than just jump into the Strype story arch I have a few plot points that I have to go through and over. So we'll see the Kyrn prince in a few chapters yet. This was another one of my "I have no idea what I'm doing but I'll post it anyway fics" and I'm so glad people like it. I'll try to update this and my other stories as often as I can. Please be so kind as to leave a review.

Sincerely,

Agent Reptile


	4. Where do we go from here?

Gold Digger the Insertion Files chapter 4

Where do we go from here?

Gold Digger belongs to Fred Perry, various characters I use belong to their respective owners and I'm not making anything from this story. I'm just doing it for fun.

When one imagines the Digger's home it is usually a vast mansion surrounded by trees with acres and acres of space. This is only a fraction of how large it really is as the backyard could be used to host the whole summer Olympics and have room to spare. It's one thing to see it in a comic, but to see it in real life? I was about to wonder if it was bigger than the X-Mansion. Sadly I was not going to be able to enjoy it one bit.

Several hours. Several [bleeping] hours of mind numbing tedium lay in store for me as I was about to go into detail about the various characters I could become, or at least as many as I could before we call it quits on account of something important such as a meal or something.

"Okay Alex lets get some readings of you in your non-superform." Gina commented as she took some odd looking things out of hyperspace and was busily setting things. "This should allow me to not only study extradimensional physics on a level never dreamed, but should also allow me to more fully understand the mechanism of your transformation."

"Well it should be able to give a start at least." Brianna said as she too entered her uber scientist mood. "But eventually we would have to get a far more detailed study of you, but that can wait and will take the equipment in the basement labs."

In short order Gina had several scientific sensors, cameras, and recording equipment focused on me, all as she said for "purely scientific research purposes". Not to be outdone, Brianna had several of her super-smart bitbombs called pee-boos equipped with her own recording devices. Thankfully I didn't attract them the same way that Dr. Diggers had done and nearly got blown to bits.

"So what do you want me to be doing while you run these tests?" I ask while standing outside with no cover.

"Nothing really, just be patient for a bit." Gina said as she was messing with her equipment. "Shouldn't take more than..."

"Done." Brianna smiled as her hovering smiling bit-bombs were going all around me.

"What?" Gina said as she continued to work on her equipment.

"Yep all done." Brianna said as she worked on what seemed to be a small video screen. "So we can move onto giving very detailed descriptions of the characters you can turn into."

"You're probably just thinking of taking a x-rayed look Alex's more attractive forms for your personal archives." Gina complained.

"Hey now I'm not..." I said trying to point out that I was not going to be using my powers for some sort of fangirl database.

"Actually no, but that is a great idea." Brianna answered her sister. Typing a few buttons on her device, Brianna took a moment to add to that sentiment. "That is if you don't mind Alex."

There are very few things that can make a man go against his better nature and just agree with an idea that is just too wrong to be a good plan. Sadly the particular idea was suggested by someone who has an absolute mastery of the primary reason: sexual inuendo from an attractive girl.

"Look Brianna not that I don't like you, as I am a huge fan, but I'm not comfortable with that." I tried to get out of this as polietly as possible, but didn't think it would work.

"See Brianna. We are doing this purely for scientific reasons." Gina said as she got back to running her own tests. Of course no one believed her either.

"I'm not too comfortable with you doing what you are doing either Gina. But since your parents wanted a full disclosure of all my alternate personas, I'm going through this."

"Don't get too upset Alex, Ms Geeky here does this sort of thing all the time." Britanny finally said as she smiled at my nervousness. "The best way to deal with it is to relax and let her do what she's doing, if it later bites us in the butt feel free to give her noogies."

"I'll keep that under advisement." I said trying not to move too much. I gazed back and forth at the house, the yard, the trees, even saw some birds fly past overhead, but sadly this was not helping with my waining patients. If the Diggers were going to see all of the characters I could become then this was going to go until well after nightfall at this rate.

Thankfully it didn't take all that long for Gina to finally finish all of that she was doing so we were finally ready to go. Thankfully I didn't feel a thing as she was running her tests.

"There. Okay Alex we now have some readings on your biological and neural activity, as well as a basic look at the energy fields of your body." Gina said adjusting her glasses a bit.

"So what's the prognosis doc?" I joke to her, causing a slight chuckle from her.

"Well, for all purposes you are more or less the same physiologically to any human of this dimension. However you do seem to be radiating a slightly different energy pulse from your body." Pressing the touch screen on her PDA a few times she continued. "But it's not from any type of known energy form, and it is a very week very faint pulse."

"How small is this pulse Gina?" Theo asked very curious.

"It's so minute that I can barely detect it dad. Are you sure that your scan was as detailed as mine Brianna?" The smaller genius's smug demeanor and sense of pride was

"Okay, so any ideas who you would like to see first?" I asked. "Or any type you like to see?"

I was never a good actor and only had been on stage once in my life during a school play, but really I was not used to being in front of people like this.

"Oh no preference really. Any you want to share will be fine." Julia said.

"Okay, since Britanny and Gina already know two of the guys I've turned into, how about this one."

I was now dressed from head to toe in white mid-sized robes that looked like some sort of monk. My head was covered, but what could be seen was a very short haired man about 6' tall with a clean shave and leather armguards and boots. A familiar metal tube was now in my right hand as I stood upright from Starkiller's usually fighting stance.

"This is Starkiller, also known as Galen Marek. Former apprentice of the Sith Lord Darth Vader, and key figure in the formation of the rebellion against the dark empire of the Star Wars universe. Starkiller is a powerful weilder of the Force and an excellent lightsaber combatant." I punctuated this by activating my energy blade and twirling it in my hands.

"I take it that is a lightsaber?" Brianna's question was punctuated by her focus on a chuckle. "Looks just like a beam saber to me."

"Brianna be nice." Julia said to her youngest daughter.

"Now, what is this 'Force' you speak of?" Dr. Diggers asked as he took a whiff on his pipe.

"The Force is an energy field that binds all things, connects all things. It pierces us, connects us...it is the source of the Jedi's power and is fed by the life of all living things." Not exactly as sage as Obi Wan, but that could wait till later.

"So it's more or less Chi?" Julia added. It's been a long time since I faced someone else who could use Chi with any real profession." It was at that time I knew that if I was going to stay with the Diggers, I was going to have to spar with Julia Diggers a few times and I was not looking forward to it.

"The Force is far more powerful than chi or ki Mrs. Diggers, and has far greater range of abilities for those who are able to use it. But I can turn into a number of characters who do have powers over the inner and outer life forces that you use." I was going to dowse my blade and change back, but Gina pipped in.

"Before you shift back, would you mind giving a small demonstration of this Starkiller's powers?" I looked at her for a moment wondering why, as did a few members of her family. Immediately she went on the defensive. "What I'm trying to take readings on all of this so I need something to read."

"Very well, is there something I can use my powers on?" I didn't add preferably something disposable but Gina had already seen my force powers first hand.

"You mean like Gina's car a few minutes ago?" Britanny said without realizing it. "Oh kitty litter." She said this as she slapped her hands in front of her mouth.

"What was that about my car little sister?" Gina gave Britanny one of the most fear inspiring looks she could and made it clear she would get her sister back for this somehow.

"Your car is fine Gina. Now is there something I could use for you to demonstrate my abilities for you?" I said showing Starkiller's lack of patience.

"Use her for all I care." Gina said crossing her hands under her chest and using her thumb to indicate Britanny.

"Why you little..." Britanny was about to start a fight, so I decided to take Gina up on her suggestion and lifted Britanny and her chair up with a slight manipulation of Force based telekinesis. "What the...?" My werecheetah friend said as she felt herself being lifted off the ground and manipulated gently through the air.

"Relax Cheetah." I smiled at her as I moved her slowly around, up and down, all with the power of the force. "Don't you trust me?" Britanny's tail was brisling as she was digging her claws into the plastic chair about to break it to pieces.

"Alex, I don't know what game you are playing, but I want down now." To say that the very tall and strong werecheetah was unhappy would be an understatement as she was about ready to jump on my head to get down.

"Just a few more moments Alex and my readings will be done." Gina said as she went to her ultra-scientist mode, looking over her portable devices and such.

"Hurry it up will you supernerd." Britanny barked at Gina. "I'm not fond of being an gueane pig for anyone."

"Just relax will you? I'm not going to hurt you." I was just holding her there, not throwing her side to side.

"He better not." Theo mumbled.

"There, all done." Gina smiled as she happily chirped as the computer unit she was using dinged in completion. The various computer units were giving some sort of readout but I couldn't make heads or tails of it. In the back of my mind I was getting a sensation that was akin to annoyance and that all of these things were primitive toys. These weren't my thoughts, but they were in the back of my mind.

"Finally." Britanny growled. "Now Alex I'm going to say this once and only once. PUT ME DOWN NOW!" Like I have mentioned earlier, trying to argue with a 7' tall pissed off werecat is never a good idea so I gently set the lady back down to where the chair was before.

"Alex I know you were just trying to show off, but don't do that to me again. I don't like it, I didn't feel comfortable when you did that, and it freaks me out." Britanny didn't need to make the fact she didn't like being floated up in the air any more clear as the plastic lawn chair she was using now had its two arms heavily cracked and deep claw marks that looked as if Britanny had decided to use it as a scratching post.

"Sure Cheetah, no problem." My smile was a very hesitant one as I had become myself again and was really worried about dealing with an upset powerhouse of a friend. It may sound like a very pathetic thing, but remember here Britanny isn't just some fashion obsessed fuzzy beanpole. When you are standing next to this lady the first thing you notice, after the height, fur, tail, and cleavage, is that she is built like a freaking tank.

Fred Perry may have slimmed down his style a bit, as well as rounded some edges to his artwork, but Britanny looked like she could tear out the engine block of a truck with one hand. I have no idea if her petite human form was a deliberate idea of Iceron to hide the strength of her hybrid form or an unintended concept of it, but Britanny was someone who could end most arguments before they start by either her smile or her biceps. Not a good idea to upset such a lady period.

"Well Gina what were you able to able to detect from this 'force' that was displayed?" Theo asked his eldest daughter as he was very interested in seeing how this new and mysterious type of power related to magic or any other known source of power.

"Well Dad, I can honestly say that this 'Force' power is completely unrelated to magic." Gina observed as she was going over details on her PDA device. "When you use magic it comes from a vast ethereal energy stream that is specifically tied to your aura field, and before you ask Mom it's not like any Chi energy signature I have come across either." Gina continued.

"In Chi and Ki one is using and connected to an inner and outer life force, and much like magic it has specific energy signatures which can be picked up and read. This Force is neither, but shares similar abilities to both as I have also seen Alex use Starkiller's powers to augment his speed, reflex time, use far more brutal telekinetic abilities, and unleash the elemental force of lightning. That, as you saw in Mesha's spell, was powerful enough to take down a mature dragon, if only for a moment." Gina took another moment to catch her breath and go over her findings again.

"From what I was able to get a reading from you levitating Britanny in that chair, the Force may bind all things and be fed by all living things, but it's neither connected to them or from any personal source of energy." Gina said this while facing me. "I was able to get a focus on how you are connected to it, which seems to be throughout your body with your hand just being a focus for it, but as to were this power is coming from…it's so closely matched to the surrounding environment that for all I can tell it's like you can tap into the universes operating system."

"I'm what?" I asked flabbergasted.

"Not to seem rude sis, but that sounds like a load of malarkey." Brianna said as she double checked what she had recorded. "Really now the 'universe's operating system'? So what this guy is hacking into the Big Guy upstair's computer?" I didn't know if Brianna had any personal belief's on God or such, but her sentiment and complete disbelief that Gina's observations were accurate were shared by me.

"Look you know I don't believe in God and such, but in cold hard science." Gina said aloud. "But from what I'm seeing here the Force is some sort of power source that's not actually connected to the tangible world, but can affect it and be effected by it." Gina's conviction was as strong as she had ever been and I knew what she was going to think of next.

"I know that you likely don't want to do this Alex, but if just the first guy you have shown is so radically different from anything I have on the books, I'm going to have to ask you for a detailed in-depth scan of each individual you have available to you to be done in the regeneration tubes of my lab." I couldn't fault Gina's legitimate curiosity and concern. Typically with new discoveries her reply would be "jinkies" and a bright smile on her face like a child in a candy store. This time however she was sollom and extremely on point.

"Which is something that I'm sure Alex will agree to do at a later date." Julia said as she absorbed what was just reported to her. "Theo what could you tell about that particular guy?" The matriarch of the household asked her husband, with something unsaid on her mind.

"Well my dear, I would sense only part of his aura as it seems very…hidden, but I wouldn't particularly call that person evil. While Starkiller's aura is very different from that of Alex, and it is Alex who is tapping into that individual, that wouldn't explain how more or less camouflaged the aura would be." Theo paused for a moment to think. "But again it isn't evil I sense, but perhaps just a level of untamed aggression which likely stems from the lad's youth and from being trained by someone who Alex admitted was a true villain."

"Okay one hunk down then, so many more go to." Brianna took the conversation away as she readied herself for the next character for me to display.

"Just wondering Bri, but how was it that you didn't go over those findings I had on Alex's first character run?" Gina goaded her younger sister.

"That's easy, because what I was going over was a detailed scan of his body, energy signature, and any peculiar readings run at the same time from several different scans run simultaneously with my peebos." Brianna replied. "Besides why spoil your fun? I'm not trying to get on the cover of Scientific America or something."

"So what exactly are you after then?" Gina asked.

"For now? Adding to my photos of hunky guy collection." Of course…Brianna's sex drive was the only thing bigger than her heart or her I.Q. I tried to not get jealous, but sometimes it's harder than it looks.

"Fine, we can go over Brianna's private fantasies later. Who do you want to see next?" I hate just being rude, but if you've played as many games as I have (or ever read dial H for hero) and realized that this was going to take a while, time was a big factor if we were going to get this done today.

"Hey do the suave French guy you used the first time." Britanny smiled as she remembered the roguish X-Man from the bayou.

"Suave French guy?" Theo said as he got a little unnerved at the idea of some lovesick foreign playboy hitting on his girls.

"Suave French guy? Wait Gambit? I told you before Cheetah he's Cajun not French." I said back to her. "So please my fair petie, don't call o'l Remy French." The transformation was seamless as before the Diggers family stood the former member of the guild of thieves. Dressed in a tattered trench coat, black body suit, and holding the signature retractable metal staff in my hands, Gambit was back in action.

"Now Dr. Gina, best be you starting this test cause Gambit here got him a mess a skills to show."

"Very well, Brianna get ready to see some really strange stuff soon." Gina smiled as she started her equipment.

"Very well Alex please tell me who this fine gentleman is." Juila said as she smiled.

"The name mon frare is Remy LeBeau, but you may call me Gambit. Born in Louisiana this fine young man find he be kicked out of his house cause his folks find he too strange for them, mainly it be the eyes." I stopped for them to see the deep red and black of Gambit's peculiar optics. "Course this the first and least of the things that make Remy a little, unique."

"And what exactly is unique about Gambit? Beyond the fact you keep referring to yourself in the third person?" Theo asked.

"Well you see Dr. Diggers, Gambit found himself on the street just tryin' to servive, and he make a big mistake on account he try to pickpocket the head of the guild of thieves. But rather than kill the little fella, that big Mr. LeBeau he took Remy in and make him his son. Now come teenage years Remy's real strangeness set in, but that mixed with him leaving the thieves for not so important reasons mean he fall in with another group."

"And what group would that be?" Julia asked, not sure how to react to a self-declared thief in her house, not sure I blamed her for that.

"Well Gambit always be one not have a family, and a bit of a loner, but Gambit found it better to be with those like him and perhaps be hated for it than be alone with noone. So Gambit decide to take up a friend's offer and made himself a superhero of sorts as a member of the X-Men."

"X-Men?" Brianna asked.

"It's not what you think and we'll explain later." Britanny told her more flirty sibling.

"Well you see my fair and bright young femmie, Gambit be a mutant. And mutants…they ain't exactly liked none on Earth." I answered her. "And it not the eyes that mean Gambit a mutant."

"I remember you mentioning that, but I'll have to run a blood test to see this X-gene you talked about earlier Alex."

"So these mutants, they are born with this eye thing or…" Julia asked as she didn't understand the ins and outs of Marvel comic powers.

"Now if that the case ol'Remy just invest in sunglasses, but no see Gambit has a lot more in his sleeves than just his eyes."

"Wait a second." Britanny said as she smiled, got up, and rushed into the house.

"Now what you be supposing that for?" I asked as I scratched the back of my head.

After a few minutes the friendly spotted lycan came back outside.

"Here we go." Britanny happily ran back outside with a mass of wooden blocks in her hand. "Thought these would help display your talent."

"Much abliged my pretty femme, much abliged." I understood what she was getting at as Britanny placed the blocks down and stacked them. She then took one in her hand and chunked it into the air like a plastic pigeon.

"What are you doing Britanny?" Gina asked as she saw the target arc into the air. Before it reached the zenith of that arc she got her answer.

It was a very fast snap of the wrist that caught the card between my index and middle finger, and as soon as I felt the card charge with my bio-energy I let it fly. In less than a blink the energy charged bolt impacted the wooden block causing it to completely explode. That was good because the last thing needed was slivers of wood flying all over the place.

"Well that's the kind of charge card I would like to have." Julia chuckled seeing that.

"Ready for another Alex?" Britanny said as both her hands were loaded with another block each.

I retracted the metal pole in one of my hands and placed it back in its holder. I then reached into the brown trench coat jacked I had on and pulled out a few more cards that I started the juggle in a manner no human could ever hope to do. "When you be ready monfrair, Gambit be ready."

Britanny's super fast throwing would have put any speed shooter to the test, but if anyone has ever played MVC2 then they have seen just how fast Gambit's own throwing arm is. In a few seconds all of the various blocks had been disposed of as the backyard of the Digger's mansion resembled a fireworks display.

"Bravo Alex." Julia smiled at the display. "So the dexterity, reflex, and exploding cards are part of this X-gene of yours."

"My fair femme that be hitting the nail on the head, and it not just cards Gambit be charging. Any inanimate thing on earth, Gambit can charge it and if he charge it right it go boom." I smiled as I bowed to Julia, Theo, Brianna, Britanny, Gene and even Gina's applause.

"Must be very handy, but still kind of scary at first." Brianna said as she was working hard at her own sensors.

"It be very scary petite, course Gambit get it easy on his powers as there be many another mutant who isn't so fortunate as to have something so easy to hide." I said, not realizing the obvious ramifications of what such a statement would have.

"Were any of the other characters you have previously displayed mutants as well?" Brianna asked as she started messing with the control unit in her hands. "If we have something in common to scan for it could make things go a lot faster."

"Good point my mentally gifted partner." Gina smiled as she went over her readings of me as Gambit. "If we are trying to get as much information from this preliminary assessment of Alex's alternate personas then it would be best if we were able to string together scans of commonly related individuals."

"I guess that makes sense." I said as I wonder about the logic of it, and couldn't find a single problem with it. Granted I'm not in any shape form or fashion in the same mental league as Gina or Brianna, but still but I didn't see any real problem with going through this list with related characters.

"Good. Now since we are also going with characters which have already been displayed, how many more of those personas you have used were also mutants?" Gina asked while having all her equipment set up for the next set of scans.

My answer was a bit terse, but then again I had been standing for a period of time like a freaking circus performer and was beginning to be very bored. "Two that you saw, and three that Britanny saw."

"And how many characters in total do you have access to that are mutants?" Theo asked as he found this mutanted genetics very interesting.

"Lets see…" I started to count with my fingers and muttered under my breath trying to pin-point the exact number. It was almost half a minute as I was trying to remember the exact number to answer the guy I nearly killed's question. "About 15-20 men and women I guess. Why?"

"At this rate it likely will take most of the remainder of the day and into tomorrow just on the mutant characters of yours, much less anyone else you have access to." Julia pointed out as she noticed the time. "And as much as I want to make sure I know all about the potential danger, can you please hurry things up a little?"

Her request wasn't an unfair one, as I was a complete videogame freak the list of potential characters that I could use ranged over a hundred at the very least. Still I was going as fast as I could because everyone had questions and Gina was taking as many in-depth readings as she could. To this day I don't want to know all the things that she scanned for as I really just didn't care much.

"Got it. First mutant after Gambit used was…" If you remembered the story then right now I have changed from an average looking guy of about 5'8" to a 7' tall mountain of steel skin and muscle. "Piotr Rasputin, but my comrades call me Colossus."

"Hello shinny metal mass of hunky awesomeness." Brianna blurted out as she started to drool.

"Huh?" Was the collective expression on everyone's mind because the outburst….well let's be honest here people it just sounded wrong.

"What? I'm not going to apologize for what I said." Brianna countered. "Look this isn't a robot here people but a living humanoid being with enough genetic relations to human beings for reproduction and happens to be covered in metal skin."

When one is trying to argue with Brianna Diggers on the morals and in-depth analysis of potential sexual partners that do not violate the rules of nature, one is bound to fail miserably. With lycans, humans, mages, elves, atlantians, dwarfs, giants, rakshasas, kyrn, ogres, and a whole assortment of others that are human and yet not human…yeah Brianna thinking Colosus's metal skin form is sexy is more or less tame.

"I guess that's true." Gina said as she started her scan, but with a devious smile that rivaled her sister's now plastered on her face.

"Since Colosus is a mutant like Gambit, and you mentioned that there are some not so fortunate mutants, would it be fair to ask if you are permanently metal skinned in that form?" Dr. Diggers asked as he was showing how uneasy he was with almost half a ton of steel right next to him.

"Neit Dr. Diggers." I replied in a happy, and very thick, slovic accent. "My steel skin and all the strength from it is not permanent. I actually prefer to work with my own muscles when I can." If I had been thinking straight I would not have done what I just did. Again, if I was thinking straight.

In a moment an odd purple shine appeared on the edges of my body as steel skin retracted to light pink flesh. In a far more human looking mood, I had inadvertently given credence to Brianna's nymphatic logic. It would not be the last time, and it likely was going to happen a lot.

"See, I am not so…weird looking da?" I smiled the most friendly smile I could and being attached to Piotr's mindset of a super nice guy, the reaction was one that was very surprising.

"No, not at all…" Gina said as she had to readjust her glasses. The shortest of the Diggers was busy looking at

"YES! Oh yea who's the number one super-genius…" Brianna's happy dance was a mixture of the Snoopy dance and Britanny and Gina's eccentric "treasure" dance. The sound of camera shutters clicking all over my body from the flying peebos made sure that somehow and somewhere Brianna's private picture collection had just grown vastly.

"So now that you aren't walking around looking like one of Gina's highschool science projects, care to give a little background on this particular character?"

"This one's name is Piotr Rasputin. Born on a state owned farm in the former Soviet Union Piotr's great physical strength was seen as a great source of pride for the families forced to live on the very poor land. To be able to get the unreasonable level of food demanded by state, Piotr would secretly use his steel skin to quickly shave time off from the labor. It worked, but did not last long." I paused as I took a breath.

"One day a tractor, it's brake failed and it started rolling to where Piotr's little sister Illyana was playing. Piotr's legs acted before Piotr knew what was happening. With one hand he grabbed his sister and waited for the impact, but not the impact that he expected as Piotr plowed through the tractor with his sister unharmed. Although it saved Illyana, Piotr knew that the tractor was very expensive and would cause the farmer great hardship trying to replace. It was then that Professor Xavier found Piotr and convenced him to join Xavier's team of heroes to help Piotr's fellow man on a bigger scale than just the farm Piotr lived on. So Piotr became a X-Man along with comrades Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Iceman, Cyclops, Phoenix, Storm, Beast, Rouge, Psylocke, Angel, Havok, Polaris, Cable, and many others who Piotr can't remember all of."

"It looks like we are going to be spending a lot of time going over this x-gene thing of yours Alex." Gina said flatly as she proceeded with her biometric scans. "And if mutants are just the tip of the icebearge of your abilities then I could spend the rest of my life studying you and not get anywhere."

"Perhaps domoritz Gina, but perhaps that is not the point da?" Say what you will about Colossus's English skills, but don't underestimate his intelligence. Too many people do that with him, as well as guys like Grimlock and such, and mistake syntax problems with limited intelligence. Hulk's one thing but Colossus…How much of the human body does science still not know? If the point is to continue to discover, what is the point if all is found in one person's life?

"What?" Britanny asked as she was completely dumbfounded. "Excuse me pal but I'm not sure if it's the thick, and admittedly sexy, Russian accent or the very thought-deep words, but I didn't understand that statement at all."

Britanny is a woman of action, or rather a werecat of action which means a number of things. For starters she has a very short attention span for ignoring interesting things and prefers to use her fists rather than her brain with dealing with difficult situations. Far from stupid, she still likes to keep things simple and basic to understand and is easily made happy with a few basic things. However, when she is exposed to things that confuse her…Britanny's patients gets cut drastically.

"Forgive Piotr please Britanny, I speak as ones I become." I tried hard to say. It seemed that when I become someone I become them in all parts. Granted I should have figured it out when I was Reed Richards or thinking back on when I was the Hulk, but it didn't because their primary language was English. But Colossus's first language was Russian, and it didn't seem that I was given his game based language skills.

"I'll translate it for you later sis." Gina commented, having understood what I meant to say. "Anyway Alex, would you mind using that x-gene again, I want to take another look at what goes on inside that transformation of yours."

"Da." I smiled as again my entire epidermis was coated in a layer of biosteel as again a bright purple light followed around my body like a xerox machine's scanner.

"Well Gina what are you seeing?" Brianna asked as she began to hover behind her sister.

"I'm not sure how's he's doing it but it seems that the same mass gain and loss that Britanny has during her transformations exist in Alex during his transformations but there is no energy conversion. In your case sis your differential mass between your forms is absorbed and released through a weak aura attachement to the ether stream of magic." Gina continued as the sun was getting higher into the sky and everyone non-schelont flipped on a pair of sunglasses to deal with the glare off of my skin.

"That would be cool, if you weren't also using me as a tanning mirror friend Cheetah." I crossed my arms as I looked at her sunbathing in the reflection coming off my steel skin.

"I'm fur covered babe, I tan just about as well as you do." The werecheetah said as she got up and looked me in the face.

"Is something in Colossus's eye?" I asked as I saw just how perplexed and curious Britanny's expression.

"Actually yea, or no or…..Look your skin is not just covered in chrome, but all of you." Cheetah is a friend, but the look on her face worried me. Out of pure curiosity she tapped me a few times with her knuckles, which resulted in a dull thud. "And your hair? I'm not sure if you would need a barbor or a welder."

This insight led to a series of chuckles from everyone, much to Britanny's shagrin.

"Yea get a cheap laugh at my expence." She huffed.

"Neit neit….Cheetah we not laughing at you, but laughing at your insight." I smiled at her. "It was very funny and I am actually butt of joke." Okay so maybe I'm too much like Piotr, but anything to keep Britanny from being annoyed at me.

"Okay Alex I'll go with that, but seriously you're a man of steel and you're not impressed? When I turned all furry and such I was pruning for weeks…except when I got bullied at school."

"Comrade Cheetah, Colossus is not impressed because Colossus was impressed." I answered her back, wishing to change back into my normal self but Gina was still doing scans. "It like all times Alex become character, it not first time that character have powers."

Britanny scratched her head a bit as she tried to put that statement together. "Okay I think I get it. When you turn into the characters you can you aren't impressed because you become someone who has years of experience with the fact they are superpowered or specially trained or such?"

"Da."

"Oh. Coool." From perplexed to absolutely amazed in about 3 seconds, not exactly a record but good to know none the less. "So that's why you were so proficient with all the characters you were using; you instantly gain their experience."

"Sounds sort of like cheating to me." Julia commented. "Afterall you didn't earn all of the skills you are not using, but rather are using other's powers that you have not earned."

"How I gain my powers is not for you to judge, how I use them though…maybe." I countered. "I didn't ask for these gifts, but so far have I used them poorly?"

"No I can't say you have, but I still don't like it when people are just given things. Especially since the first time you used your power you took out an adult dragon. And you know just about everything about my family, which unnerves me a lot even if it is because you are a fan of our 'comic book'." Julia answered back. "Still the fact you are so willing to do what it takes to gain our trust does speak volumes to your character."

"Well I've got all I can from this guy at this moment. Probably going to have to go through a whole different series of tests down in the lab later to see just how strong you are as Colossus." Gina said as she went back to focusing on her readouts.

"You want to see strong comrade Gina? Colossus shall show you strong." I kneeled down and picked up Britanny with one hand and lifted her over my head.

"Alex hun what are you doing?" Britanny's irritation was obvious and she was very clear that she did not want to be held aloft on one hand.

"Britanny it is all in fun yes?" I laughed as I held her above my head. "But Colossus has a better idea now." I set my fuzzy friend down and picked up her chair, as well as picked up Brianna in her chair.

"Wait now what?" The lycanthropoid said as she wondered what was on my mind.

"Please comrade Brianna, this will be a little game yes." I then ushered Britanny to sit in the chair I brought her.

"I have no idea where you are going with this Alex, but I'll see what is up your sleeve." Britanny shrugged and sat down, only to be picked up instantly and held level with my head.

"The load is not level, but I think it looks cool da?" I smiled at both as the two women chuckled.

"Not bad, but it really doesn't give me any idea as to how strong Colossus really is." Gina said as she I set both of her sisters down.

"True, but if you don't mind a little rougher game, I'm sure I can see how durable he is." Britanny said with a twisted grin on her face.

"I didn't know you had a fancy of cold steel." Brianna joked as she ran her fingers down my arm.

"No, but I would step back for a moment sis, if you don't mind Alex." Britanny's look was very…energized as she seemed be driven to complete whatever it was that she wanted to do.

"Okay, what is this…"I did not have time to finish my question as Britanny sidestepped me, grabbed my arm, lifted me over her head and throw me across the backyard.

"What the heck was that for?" Brianna yelled at her taller sister. "You could have hurt him."

"Trust me Bri, he didn't even feel it." Britanny said as she comforted her sister with a light tap on the shoulder.

If you are wondering just how is it that Britanny could throw someone like Colossus clear across a yard, it is a rather simple process as Cheetah is able to bench 15 tons of dead weight effortlessly and Colossus in steel skin mode is about 700 lbs, or a little over half a ton. Combined that with the fact Britanny is an expert in Judo as well as body building and you can see why I was on the receiving end of the infamous "fastball special".

Thankfully Britanny was right as I dusted myself off and picked myself up…out of about a 6 foot long hole in the Digger's backyard.

"HAHAHAHA! That is a good pitching arm you have domoritz." I had quite a hearty laugh at that. "Colossus is impressed but it, and will have to ask you to spot him later in gym."

"So you know Alex you will be repairing the damage to the yard you just plowed through." Theo said smoking on his pipe a bit.

"Da, it is a good thing Colossus likes to work with his hands." I said shaking my head and heading back to the rest of the group.

"Well I've got two solid scans on male beings with this x-gene. Are there any females which I can scan?" Gina asked as I changed back into my normal self.

"About 5 that I can think of off the top of my head, but I've never become a female character and Marvel has a habit of…."

"A habit of what?" Gina asked, as everyone was listening. "If you are going to say something sexist I am going to…."

"Wait wait hold up. Look I'm not sexist, just…."

"Then what is the problem? Surely a shapeshifter like youself would have no issue with genders." Genn said punctuating the statement by changed between his male and female forms respectfully.

"First I'm not a shapeshifter and second….Marvel comics, as well as DC and such, don't make weak female characters….may have some writters that don't use them to their full potential but that's not the same as the character being weak." I explained.

"So? What exactly is it that you are worried about?"

"Female characters in X-Men are rarely used as physically dominating ones, but they are used some of the most powerful characters in Marvel. Storm for instance? She can control the heavens and manipulate weather systems and it's tied heavily to her emotions. Jean Grey, a.k.a. Phenoix, is the most powerful telekenetic character in all of Marvel and if she goes too far she unleashes a cosmic level entity to boot."

"Wow. At least they can't be blamed for being sexist." Brianna observed. "Or maybe they all have fetishes for women who can destroy them with a thought, who knows."

"This coming from someone with more firepower than all of Stark Industries and as well as being a borderline megalomaniac?" I retorted back at her.

"Can you blame me for liking to make things go boom?" She answered back without any trace of animosity.

"Look Alex I know that it may seem odd, but perhaps a limited time as one of the females which isn't going to blow up the world may not be a bad idea. Out of curiosity how many of the characters that you have played are female?" Julia asked in wonder.

"While not nearly as abundant as the number of male characters, I'd say somewhere in the 30s or 40s maybe." I shrugged. I never bothered to count, just thought they were cool.

"So any of them who don't have the potential to level my home and are not possible supervillians?" Julia asked slightly teasingly, and not really impressed.

"I can think of one at this moment." I said as it, very much against my better judgment, focused on one particular female character. The transformation was as per usual with a shift in height, stance, and sensory perception. This time the transformation was also very different as my stance, balance and everything else was completely messed up. Also long hair was causing my head to not exactly feel balanced. In other words my whole freaking way of interacting with the world was completely messed up.

"Wow not bad." Brianna commented as I opened my eyes and feared for the worse.

"Okay so how does it look?" I ask in a very strange feminine accent that mixed British and Japanese.

"Not bad at all actually. Probably would fit right in with my fellow students in Master Leap's school. So young lady demonstration time."

Still not sure how this would work, but thankfully my understanding of this body was just as good as the understanding of Psylock's form was just as good as my understanding of the male characters I become.

"Code name is Psyloke, but the real name is Betsy Braddock." I started. "Born in England Betsy was abducted by a ninja clan called the Hand. Her origin is long, convoluted, and would take too long to go into but she is a very skilled ninja only aided by her ability to generate blades of pure mental energy and telekinesis."

"Mental energy? I have never heard of any mentalists who are able to generate weapons from just their mind. Care to demonstrate?" Theo's question was answered by me summoning a glowing purple katana out of essentially nowhere. I took a moment to look at the weapon as Gina began running yet another one of her examinations, after she got over the fact that she I was in a female body.

"So Alex, uh how do you feel?" Gina asked as she started jotting down notes.

"So far, no idea. My stance feels off, my undergarments feel wrong and my whole range of senses are either more sensitive or just is off." If it wasn't that Gina likely would be pestering me for more studies later on, I would swear off trying to become any other female character forever.

"Well considering your entire brain has just been rewired that doesn't exactly surprise me." Gina commented as if she was insulted, okay granted she likely was indirectly but essentially my brain had shifted from let's say PC to a Mac OS without a good translation program and no instructions as to the new operating system. Basic functions were the same, but interface was a mess for me.

"Yea after this I'm going to do some very serious mental purging as I'm not enjoying this at all."

"Well I can see why." Brianna noted as she looked at her own reading equipment. "While you are now 100% women in body, your mind is still trying to work like you do when you are a guy."

"Really?" Gina said as she took the PDA thing from her sister. "I can't believe it but you're right." In a flash the two were a blur of motion working on their equipment going over all the details of what fascinating discovery they just uncovered.

"Sorry what's going on?" I asked in bewilderment, curious as to what exactly was found out.

"I think Brianna here has just discovered that while you are physically now female, your brain is still your own mind superimposed upon the mind of a woman. In fact, it may be the same with all of your alternate forms." Gina smiled at yet another phenomenal discovery that likely would put her on some scientific magazine.

"If that's the case then why didn't we notice this earlier?" Brianna asked perplexed. "We were doing a very detailed scan here."

"Because this is the first time Alex has used a woman. Duh." Britanny pointed out annoyed that neither one of her sisters were able to see the obvious.

"Britanny be nice." Julia chided her adopted daughter. Gina and Brianna just slapped themselves in the face.

"OF COURSE DUH!" Gina groaned.

"Mistress Gina could you please explain what exactly you are talking about?" Tark asked, having long been completely lost as to what was going on.

"It's quite easy. Men and women literally do think differently, and it's not just the obvious observation you may think it is. The way men and women receive, process, and translate information received from the senses as well as communicate are physiologically different from one another and while Alex now has the same sensory equipment, hormones, and everything else women have, his brain is trying to relay and process this information with a male mind." Gina explained, all the while I was really getting a headache.

"And it's not processing right." Brianna continued. "Alex I know that we want to study as many of your alternate forms as we can, but if I'm reading this right…well it looks like prolonged attempts to use a female form can lead to sensory overload and possibly other side effects."

"Then can I change back now?" I was exceedingly worried as to what those other effects could be.

"Absolutely!" Gina and Brianna yell as I sighed in relief and was male again.

"Thank you." I was extremely happy to be "back to normal" as it was as my head was a lot more clear and… Yes all the right equipment was back.

"I don't understand. When I shift between male and female forms I don't have any issues at all." Genn pointed out.

"That's because you are a racktashi and you magically can change your entire body structure." Gina answered her friend.

"But in Alex's case he assumes characters he played in videogames. My guess is because of how he got his powers to begin with." Brianna paused then to get her thoughts in order and then started. "In a game, when you play a character, do you change who you are? The answer is of course not. You just take on the persona of someone or thing for the duration of the game. In Alex's case he was pulled through this medium so his uses his alternate forms just like someone who picks up the controls of a game boy."

"But that still doesn't really explain why he was troubled with a female persona." Britanny shot back. "Guys who take hormones or have surgery don't have the immediate problems we saw in Alex. Granted some of them have serious health problems later but still not the same thing."

"Good point, but in those cases they didn't take their brain and try to transplant it into a completely different model body." Gina called out. "But their brains aren't trying to deal with being forced into a fully functional alternate gender where it's not the look that's different but the whole layout of the mind and body."

"Look Britanny, if you were to put on a costume and act like a guy, would you be a guy?" Brianna proposed.

"Heck no, I'd still be loveable sexy and very feminine me." The werecheetah blauched.

"Exactly, but say your mind was somehow instantly placed into the body of a guy where you would perceive the world the way men do, and you suddenly were trying to hold onto who you are while still finding yourself in a role that is anathema to everything you're used to for years. Reguardless of the psycology of it, which you would know more about Dad, the physical shift is more than anyone could possibly hope to deal with for any length of time."

"Fasinating." Dr. Diggers smiled. "And it would explain why Alex was able to deal better with male roles, as he is actually a guy."

"Well yea, but then explain how it was that he was able to turn into a giant robot and not lost it?" Britanny snapped back.

"Probably because being a fictional character imagined, designed, and acted by a human being then it's internal thought processes probably are just like those of humans, just mechanical." I answered with everyone looking at me perplexed. "What? The 4th wall and it's logic are useless in this situation."

"4th wall? Look kid you are not going to start tearing down my house just because you happened to look your stuff and turned into a woman." Julia yelled at me in the face.

"What? Since when did I talk about doing anything to your house?" I was perplexed, confussed, and a whole bunch of other words to describe the same messed up sort of situation.

"You said the 4th wall. Now I'm not an architect, but the closest wall is that one that is part of my house." The very tall and very annoyed amazon said to me.

"No wait mom. The 4th wall refers to the perspective of an audience watching a play." Gina said appeasing her mother. "It's not an actual wall, but an illusionary one that isn't broken so that the characters on stage seem like they are actually part of the world they are convening."

"So when you said the 4th wall was useless…" Julia asked.

"I was alluding to the fact some things just won't make sense if you nit-pick them because there are assumptions needed for a show to be accepted as reality." I explained trying not to get on the bad side of someone who was not only the mother of my potential romantic interest, but also someone who could take on Wonder Woman in hand to hand combat.

"Fair enough, and sorry for the confussion. Now I know you've been very patient with all of this, but if you feel up to it I would like you to try to use one more female mutant character, if you feel up to it."

"May I ask why you would want me to try that again and what particular female character you have in mind?" Arguing with Julia Diggers is stupid, pulling on Batman's cape level stupid. It's about as just plain dumb as ideas come, so when I was thinking of saying no right to her face it was not without understanding just how big a mistake it could be.

"Just out of curiosity mind you, I was wondering if I could see the one you called Storm." Julia stated without animosity. "Just curious as to how her powers being linked to her emotions and all, would you be able to control her form for any particular length of time."

"Alright, one quick look. But if I lose control I don't want to be held responsible for anything that may become damaged or obliterated from the face of the Earth." I wanted some ground rules for this so I didn't get blamed for anything that may occur.

"Fair enough, but you will help clean up."

"Deal." We shook on it so it was all good as far as I was concerned.

"Alright Alex, if you feel anything go wrong tell me and we'll stop this test immediately." Gina said as she readied her equipment again.

"Alright, here goes nothing…I hope."

I focused on the character again and felt myself transform. Like with Psyloke before I felt a distinct transformation difference than when I used Logan or Colossus. I could feel the air currents around me as a powerful wind rose me from the ground. I could sense the electrical charge in the air like I sensed the electromagnetic field when I was Magneto.

"Is this what you were looking for Mr. Diggers?" I said in an almost booming voice, but not in a threatening manner.

"Alex how do you feel?" Britanny had cupped her hands in front of her mouth and yelled up to me.

"Marvelous. I can actually feel at one with the elemental forces of nature. It is as if I am truly one with the heavens." I was enraptured in the overwhelming sensation of power flowing through me as I rose higher from the ground and unleashed arching lightning from my hands. "It is magnificent."

Safe to say that at this point I was completely loosing myself in the waves of ecstasy that I was feeling with the wind swirling around me and the lightning striking my fingertips.

"Alex enough please, control yourself." Dr. Diggers cried out as he pulled the colar of his jacket over his ears. "You can come down now!"

I was too busy enjoying the freedom that the power I now held was Storm's abilities where my own.

"Dang it I think he's lost it." Britanny said below me as she was taking cover.

"I thought that you said that he was able to gain the control that the characters had over their powers?" Julia asked as she was covering behind her lawn furniture.

"He should, but remember his brain isn't used to processing the sensations that females usually feel, mix that with Storm's power and we got a formula for a complete screw up." Brianna commented. "Only chance is to get him to shift back into his normal self."

At that point I was so lost in the sensations of the weather manipulation I was deaf to everything else, but thankfully the Diggers were more than up to the task of taking on one mutant with weather powers.

"Britanny, any thoughts on how to knock him down?" Gina asked as her equipment was about to be irreparably damaged. Britanny wasted no time in launching herself into the air at me and in one effortless motion tackled me to the ground. This was enough to bring me to my senses and caused the weather to go back to normal.

"Cheetah what are you doing? Did I…" I continued to look around and wondered exactly what was going on. I changed back to myself and cleared my head wondering what exactly had happened.

"Well for starters promise me you aren't going to try changing your gender again anytime in the near future. I like you a lot better as a guy anyway and you have far better control over yourself when you aren't holding two X chromosomes." My werecheetah friend jokes.

"I promise I'm not going to be doing anything remotely that stupid again for a long time to come as I have no interest whatsoever in actually being female again. No offense."

"After seeing what almost happened, I very much agree." It took a few moments to collect myself from Britanny towering over me, but thankfully nothing really seemed amiss.

"Wow…Did I do that?" I know cliché but after what just happened there is a reason such a reaction is considered cliché.

"Well yes and no. Look Alex I guess that your feminine side can sit back for a long time and let's stop all this testing for a bit. It's cool and all but I think we can call it quits for today, or at least a few hours." Britanny and I got up, dusted ourselves off, and went back to where the others members of the Diggers household were located.

"Well Alex, I can safely say that you shall be one of the more interesting houseguests we've had in a while." Theo chuckled. "And while I am concerned about someone who can become as powerful as the young lady you just displayed, I can't sense that you are a direct threat to my family or to my home so I don't see the problem with allowing you to stay till we can find a way to get you home. Am I right dear?"

Theo's wife was deep in thought. "Well I agree with you Theo…Alex you are someone new to superpowers, but have shown a lot of responsible choices in using it. Still if you are going to be staying here for any extended period then you will learn how to control all of the characters you turn into."

"Sounds fair to me. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go reaffirm my manhood." After just trying to use two female characters I was in serious need of testosterone overload, and since I wasn't in the mood for turning into the Hulk I figured someone else with an inhuman amount of masculine badassery and inhuman regeneration. I shrank a little but also bulked up a lot as my frame became one of a 300 lbs man. If you are wondering about the weight thing, has to do with the adamentium skeleton.

"Now I'm going to light a smoke and get a brew. Anyone of you bubs want to join me?" Yep old Canuckle head once again. If this didn't reaffirm my masculinity nothing would. Thankfully my alt forms come in more than one skin for each.

"Turning into a guy who dresses in the same cowboy duds you do and is a good head shorter than me is supposed to reaffirm your manhood?" Genn asked. "You have a strange opinion of what being a man is about."

"Bite me horn boy." I replied as I pulled out a cigar and jutted out a claw and sliced the end off of the 40 year old Cuban. "I've kicked enough ass that I don't have to take any clap trap from you."

Completely taken back by this, Genn had no idea how to reply.

"Hey bub," I smiled at Dr Diggers. "Got a light?"

"Well he certaintly is more chauvantistic." Julia Diggers smirked.

"Look lady I've had my balls turned inside out and my mind put through a meat grinder." I almost barked back. "Now all I want to do is enjoy my cigar, get a drink, and maybe shoot some pool till I'm sure enough of my own badassness."

"Okay I'll give you that." Dr. Digger's said as he let loose a small fireball that light the cigar.

"Thanks, I owe you one."

"Well maybe you could get swallowed by another dragon, slice out his neck, and then take his wings off." Britanny joked.

"Would, but dragons are just a pain." I answered back as I took a drag on the cigar in my lips.

"Oh so this is what that crazy man looks like when not it yellow and black spandex." Julia observed. "Not as tall as I was expecting,"

I glared at her for that.

"but if you give me the details as to who this charmer is, I will pay for the drinks." Julia smiled.

"Ma'am, you're speaking my language."

Now you think that we would be getting into a car, heading off to a pool hall, and then ordering some brews, but Julia had other plans.

"If I had known that we were just going to be in your basement I wouldn't have bothered." I grumbled as I struck the cue ball.

"Oh hush and enjoy your drink." Brianna said as she handed me a cold one and picked up her own pool stick.

"Thanks." I smiled back at her and used one of my claws to slice the top off before retracting it in a flash.

"So may I ask who this charming individual is?" Dr. Digger's asked as he just observed me. "And is he some sort of lycan?"

"I don't go howling at the moon bub, name's James "Logan" Howlett, but you can call me Wolverine. I'm the best at what I do. Just what I do isn't that nice."

"Charming." Julia asked. "But not unexpected. Now young man some details would be appreciated."

"Whatever hot stuff, and I've been kicking butt back longer than you've been on this earth." I took a swig of the beer "But if you got to know, I was born in 1840 in Alberta. Wasn't exactly a fit kind of kid but that changed when I was about 10…the drunken groundskeeper broke in and killed my family in a fit of jealousy. Shot at me too, but then something snapped inside me and these came out." I let one set of claws slide out. Bright shiny metal blades so strong Superman could use them as a razor.

"Nice, but I got a set to." Brittany smiled as she showed hers. Longer than mine but I knew they were about as weak as cardboard.

"Yea but yours ain't made of adamentium cute stuff, course mine weren't either till Weapon X got their hands on me. Anyway I was so mad I was uncontrollable and when I came to the only one alive was my cousin that didn't get killed by the maniac. Turned out though that guy was my old man, and my greatest foe is my half-brother but thems the breaks."

"Dang." Gina said in shock. "So how is it that you aren't dead yet?"

"Gina! That's rude." Britanny said.

"But not a bad question. Seriously this Logan guy is over 100 years old but only looks like he's in his thirties." Gina told her younger sister. "It may give an indication what you look like in another have a century."

"And you want to be able to live that long I suggest you don't go poking me for the answers. I also fought in every major war from the American Civil to Vietnam and was at the beach at Normandy little lady. So I've defined been there and done that." As it was my turn again I took another shot.

"Yes well…" Gina said trying to collect herself. "If you don't wish me to study you scientifically then I guess you'll just have to open up with a lot more details." She was exchanging meekness for bravado and I had to give her credit. Didn't fool my senses for a second, but kudos to her for trying.

"Alright, like the last guys and gals you saw I'm also a mutant. My power's just are mainly physical as I heal super-humanly fast, have inhuman senses, and damn near endless stamina. Course don't you go thinkin' this old Canuclehead just muscles his way through life. I've got some moves that you've probably never even dreamed of toots."

"Oh I definitely am interested now." Brianna licked her lips as she started to dance her fingers along the outside of my jacket. "So care to show a few of those moves off sometimes and test that endless stamina of yours?"

"Brianna? God you are such a shameless flirt." Britanny said shaking her head.

"Well excuse me fuzzy but are you going steady with him? Nope? So don't get so uppity." Brianna teased her older sister and stuck out her tongue to bring the point home. I just shook my head and focused on the game.

"So you are sort of like a lycan in that reguard, but no shapeshifting or such?" Dr. Diggers asked as he focused on his pipe. A familiar smell to me having pipesmoke around, but now it was sharper and far more diverse a scent than before.

"Nope, at least not without some seriously messed up story line or a bad writer to the comics." I stepped back and let Brianna have her chance. She strattled the pool table and bent over to take her shot, but instead of focusing on the game the lycanthropoid instead proceeded to arch her back so that when she set herself up for a shot, she bumped her hips into me.

"Oh sorry about that." Brianna giggled. "I guess I'm just a bit out of practice."

"No, I'd say you've practiced that perfectly." I retort, and not all that amused by her antics.

"Nope, that was a new one." Brianna said as she took the shot and then continued to flirt with me. "But I would love to have you show me a few of your 'moves' sometime."

"Brianna you are terrible." Gina growned.

"When she was good she was good, when she was bad…" I mumbled under my breath.

"She was very good." Brianna smiled as she set up for her second shot. "I love that limerick."

"You don't let up do you?" I smirk as I threw my head back as I took a swig from my bottle. "Alright you want to see some real moves kid? I'll show you a few things that even your parents wouldn't know about."

Before anyone could comment on that, I struck the cue-ball which to hit a series of the balls which sank each of my colors into their respective pockets.

"And that was only a start."

"Well, not to say that this particular gentleman isn't entertaining…but could you try another particular individual Alex? If you don't mind that is." Genn asked as he/she, whichever the proper congigate for the gender neutral form was, observed.

"Fair enough. Been in this form long enough I suppose." In the passing of a moment I had shifted from Wolverine to myself. "So any preferrences as to whom you would like me to shift into next?"

"How about someone who can keep Ms. Hormones here from making a fool of herself?" Gina huffed at her sister.

"Hey I'm only being nice."

"No you were going a little overboard Bri. I just didn't say anything because Alex had to put up with turning into a woman twice." Britanny said. "So yea, someone who would turn Brianna down would be preferable."

"Meanie." Brianna huffed.

"Oh very well." I said to myself as I shifted again. Unlike the other times this particular mutant was obviously different as he was covered in blue fur, had a long tale ending in a point shaped like a spade, and other features which made it very clear he was not a regular human.

"Ah yes, hello mein freunds." I smiled as they got their first look at Nightcrawler. "Was ist loss?"

"A furry demon with a German accent?" Julia asked as she blinked a few times. "Well while not as animalistic persay as Logan, I don't think that this would do much to keep my daughters from hitting on you Alex."

"Well ja it wouldn't, and nien I am not a demon Frau Diggers. My name is Kurt Wagner but you may call me Nightcrawler." I bowed to the lady of the house as I said this. "World famous acrobat, gymnast, and accomplished swordsman of the Munich Circus, and long-time member of the X-Men at your service."

"So this is another mutant then?" Gina asked as she took out her PDA and held it up.

"Ja frauline." I answered. "I am just more obviously a mutant that most."

"Maybe, but you are still cute." Britanny said as she got a better look at me and stared into Kurt's pale white eyes. "Even with the more demonic looks I don't see why you wouldn't be an absolute lady killer."

"I have to agree with you there Cheetah. He may have three fingered hands and a tail, but the rest of that bod is just too hot not to notice. Expecially in that red skin-tight leotard." Brianna smiled. "So want to see if you are just like other guys in other ways? I bet that your fur is as soft as silk."

If you know Brianna and her very flirtatious ways, then you know that she was doing her best to make Nightcrawler take notice of her, all it did was make me uncomfortable far more so than normally. I had just realized that when I become the character I played I take on all their traits and for Nightcrawler that meant that sex was a big no-no.

"Ja, but mine freunde I don't think that would be a good idea." I said backing up a bit.

"What? Don't tell me that I scare you." Brianna said shifting to a more serious mode as she puzzled a bit at my actions.

"Nein…but Marvel likes to make points in ironic manners." I tried to explain. "It is not that you are not stunningly beautiful and a wonder to behold, but I was asked to turn into someone who would not be tempted by your…suggestions."

"So what young man, is this particular character homosexual or something?" Dr. Digger's piped in.

"Well that would explain the tight bums." Britanny pointed out.

"Vas? Nein nein…I'm not sure I have a homosexual character I could turn into…I know that I look like a demon, but actually that is the furthest from who I am. See I have had to deal with many who have feared me just because of what I look like. And there are many many people who have wished me harm out of fear for themselves as that they do not understand."

This pulled at one particular Diggers family member's heartstrings a great deal. Cheetah was nearly in tears as her oversized heart was acheing.

"Well that's just wrong, and besides you don't look that bad. I would go even so far as to call you adorable as this guy." To make me feel better, or maybe her, she hugged me. "And while you do have a slight furry disposition I don't see why anyone would be scarred of you."

"Well mine freunde it probably also has to do with this…"

BAMF

In an explosion of sulfur, brimstone, and black smoke I vanished from Britanny's hug and reappeared behind all the assembled in the back of the room.

"Vala." I said putting on a bit of a show. I then repeated BAMFing around the room a bit, even so much as moving a few of the housemembers around to chairs and such. While it was a little bizarre and somewhat unnerving with me laughing a bit as I did so, it was all in jest.

After I had demonstrated Nightcrawler's powers a bit to all, and after some of them were able to get the room to stop spinning, Julia Diggers laughed out loud.

"That was completely different." Dr. Diggers said as the smoke cleared.

"Can you please make the room stop turning around now?" Britanny asked as she held her head between her legs. "I think I feel lunch coming up."

"Wow what a wild ride." Brianna said as she was trying to orientate herself after being shot from one part of the house to another in a flash. "Bet that has some interesting application."

As the tallest of the Diggers sisters was now about to be sick, her sisters were having a bit of a blast. Brianna was already thinking of the ways that power of mine would be useful, and Gina was doodleing plans for some sort of device to test the limits of my teleportation powers. So once more I had caused myself more trouble than I wished just through my own stupidity.

"Alright, now that was fun, but could you please for the love of all thinks nookie why you wouldn't go to be with me in this form?" Brianna joked with me.

"Remember how I said that Marvel is one for irony frauline?" I asked as she nodded. "Well although I am very demon like in appearance, I am actually a very big believer in God. It is one of the reasons many people like Nightcrawler to begin with."

"Okay so you are a big believer in mystisim, how would that prevent you from having sex with my daughter, beyond maybe not wishing my husband to send you to your maker as he threatened some of my daughter's previous boyfriends with." Julia Diggers should be noted as the single most down to earth woman that I have ever met, if not also the most blunt.

"No mystasim Frau Diggers, but in God." I corrected her. "In fact Nightcrawler's whole character is tied to his faith and devotion to God."

"Great so what no sex before marriage or something, it's not like you're a priest or something." Brianna said aloud.

"Actually frauline, that is it ja." The expression on Brianna's face was priceless, not to mention Gina's as well as Britanny's chuckle as she recovered from her upset tummy.

"You're a priest, or Kurt is a priest?" Brianna started to question.

"Ja." I replied with a big smile on my face. "And I act as one of the religious guides for the X-Men in times of great personal crisis or if they are wondering if there is a point to all the suffering they go through. The fact I look like I am does not make me feel as if God does not love me, but rather that I am to show that His love is far greater still for it is not appearance which matters to Him, but rather the love His children show to oneanother and keep His laws."

Brianna just stared. "Wow. Just wow…"

"Ja I know it is much to take in, but it is true."

"I don't get it, what does having to being a priest have anything to do with not having sex?" Genn asked.

"I was wondering the same thing actually." Mesha added. "There are a number of gods who's priests and priestesses are married, so why would being a priest prevent that?"

"I do not serve one of many gods mein freund, but the one true everliving God." I answered. "There may be other gods for others, but one of the most important parts of my faith is the fact there is only one true God and part of the worship for Him is that priests take a vow of celibacy and chastity."

"Well that stinks." Brianna pouted. "Now that I know I wouldn't be able to make out with this guy I want him even more."

At that point everyone in the room burst into a fit of laughter, outside of Brianna who huffed that she was going to be unable to even try to bed that form of mine. Boy did I pay for that later.


	5. Gonna have some fun tonight

Gold Digger Insertion files Chapter 5: Gonna have some fun tonight.

Disclaimer: Gold Digger belongs to Fred Perry, the various other characters I use belong to whoever owns them.

"Portside engines are history troops! Our friends are getting better at their shots." Ace cried at the controls of our damaged chopper. Getting blasted from all sides by three gunships, I could safely say Ace had a pretty astute understanding of our situation. The resounding alarms blaring in my ear were becoming extremely annoying as I was loading my weapon.

"No shit pal." I cried from the open side. Currently in the form of the chronosuite beta wearing hero of Time Shift we had somewhat better odds against these foes compared to cannon. Having enough of the assault rifle's lack of doing any serious damage to our aggressors, I selected the crossbow and waited for our pilot to position the bird so I would have a clear shot. "Hold her steady for a second."

"Oh I'm sure you can handle it babycakes!" Gina said as she hit on Ace. With all the warning sirens and such blazing all over the place how the heck she could even think of sex was beyond me. Hell Brianna had the ability to focus better and she was the one everyone claimed was the impossible nympho.

"Gina stop buggin' Ace and help me find the emergency gear." Britanny cried out while standing next to me. "Alex that crossbow better do more than just shoot pointy objects or we are kitty litter."

It was at that moment that a terrible twang sound reverberated throughout the chopper and you didn't need to be wearing a time altering battle armor to feel time start to slow down all around you.

"Tail rotor's damaged! We make right turns only now!" Ace yelled as the transport shook like crazy and threw me off my feet. Took me only a second to get back up, but at this rate I was wondering what the hell was the point.

"Damn." I muttered under my breath. "Hey Ace try to bring this bird abreast of those guys! If I have a clean shot I can drop them like flies." I'm not sure what exactly was being said by Gina, but it had something to do with Ace's hands and taking on some country's Air Force.

"Give me a second bro!" Ace cried back to me with a smug grin on his face. This guy must have had ice water for blood and that was just what we needed in our pilot.

"That's all I'll need." I smirk under the suit's gleaming gold faceplate. As the doors opened I raised my weapon and slowed time. The familiar distortion in color and sound that accompanies temporal alteration kicked in as I scoped in the rotors. I took careful aim and squeezed the trigger which launched the glowing red explosive projectile that imbedded into the shaft leading to the blades of one of the airships.

The next target I selected was the windshield of another helicopter right in front of the pilot's face. I had timed everything right, but since I only am allowed a few moments accelerated I was unable to focus on the last of the pains in our aft and cut my losses.

As time returned to normal for me I could hear Cheetah and Gina from the cockpit. That was followed shortly by two massive explosions and explicatives from our not so friendly airborne followers. I have no idea what they said but it couldn't have been polite. Not like I cared though as they were lucky I didn't have the rocket launcher.

"Quit hittin' on Ace you boycrazy bucket of hormones!" Cheetah's irate voice sounded as she grabbed her sister from Ace's side. "Do you want him to screw up and crash or something?"

"At this point crashing may not be unavoidable." I mumbled under my breath and grabbed hold of one of the door straps. Damn shaking nearly tore my arm out as I did so. I was not in a good mood but I would recover soon.

"Hey troops! We're over the objective now but I'm losing booko oil pressure! I can't stay here long enough for you three to rappel down!" Ace was yelling at the top of his lungs to make sure we heard him. "I've got to high tail it back to the airport NOW!"

I was focusing on my next transformation as Britanny grabbed her sister.

"Thanks Ace. We'll take it from here! Hold your stuff Gina! We're leaving!" I could hear Gina giving some pathetic attempt at an argument as she was unceremoniously picked up and held under Britanny's arm.

"POCAHONTAS!" Britanny yelled said at as she leapt into the air with her sister under her arm. I knew that jumping from this height would be suicide for me in my present form, as well as many others, so I changed once more.

Why am I in South America you may ask? Why didn't I just use one of the multitude of flying individuals to take Gina and Britanny to South America myself? Well that has to do with that promise I made to her folks so dear reader let us go back to a bit shall we.

*Flashback*

It was a pleasant day in Atlanta Georgia, which is saying something for me as I don't care much for the state. The sun was out and the Digger's mansion was relatively quiet, but that was because we were preparing for yet another set of "tests" to be conducted on me. Having seen the images of me fighting Dreadwing, the elves, and some more showoff actions earlier, Julia wanted to fight me. Yes that's right Julia Diggers wanted to test me, or thankfully the guys I can become.

"Now Alex," Mrs. Diggers said as she twisted her rapier in her hand with a smile. "You have demonstrated some very impressive individuals that you can become, but I am of the opinion that you can only know someone by facing them."

"Okay…." I was not looking forward to what was about to transpire, whatever it was going to be. "So what you want to fight me or something? Because I have to be honest there is no way on this earth that I will last any time at all against you. You are the Arms Master of Jade and I'm just a guy and…"

Before I was able finish that sentence the eyes and smile of my redheaded host grew bigger than dinner plates.

"I become the Arms Master of Jade!" Me and my big mouth. "How does that happen? Who do I get to face?" Julia Diggers continued to ponder question after question as I began pounding my head with my fists.

"Stupid stupid stupid…. Okay I said too much I'm not going to say what is going to happen again…if I can help it. Causes too many problems and I'm not going to start making paradoxes like Marty McFly."

"Are you sure that your friend isn't just insane Britanny?" Genn asked aloud at my antics.

"Oh trust me pal you ain't seen nothing yet." I comment to Genn after I stop beating my head. "You want crazy I can do absolutely freaking psychotic." With a list of whack jobs like Deadpool, Carnage, Green Goblin, and the most insane of all…burr…the Joker as playable characters I had a wide range of real crazies I could share.

"Another time please Alex." Julia Diggers commented back to me. "Now I wish to test myself against some of the brawlers you can become. Now defend yourself as I'm not going to hold my punches."

As Julia Diggers launched herself at me, I just wanted to duck and cover. My powers obliged and her sword clanged against an unmovable object.

CLANG

Before Mrs. Diggers could figure out who I was using she found her wrist grabbed, her arm pined behind her back, and a firm grip holding her in place.

"I apologize ma'am. I have a policy against fighting women, but I understand that you have your mind set on trying your skills against mine." Yep consummate gentleman all the way.

"Not sure who you decided on Alex, but I must say that I shall have to demonstrate there is a reason I'm a Weapons Master." In one fluid motion Mrs. Diggers twisted the sword in her hand, and attempted to jab it into my side. Thank you combat honed reflexes as when Julia thrust her blade at me I was able to deflect it up with my shield, pressed my free hand to the ground, and kicked her in the side with my booted heel.

I knew I had an opening, but I decided to put some space between me and Julia so I rolled and backflipped getting some moving room.

It was only then that Julia got a good look at my present form and saw a 6' solid mass of red, white, and blue mail covered patriotic muscle.

"Who on Earth are you supposed to be?" Julia Diggers asked having no idea just how to react to someone garbed as I was.

"You can call me Captain America ma'am." I said as I directed my shoulder towards her and kept my shield's face focused on her.

"Really? That's your name? Well you look the part but those old man ear hair things on the side of your cowl aren't doing you any favors there Captain." Julia joked as she pointed her saber at me.

"Perhaps. But I'm more than just a superhero, I'm a living breathing symbol of America and her ideals." Don't blame me I am forced to do these lines people. I become the character so I have no choice sometimes. "So while the outfit isn't stealthy, it does have a purpose."

"Well I will say this to you Captain, at least whoever does your outfits has more taste than my previous teacher's uniforms." Julia admitted a she and I started to circle each other. "Tell me though, does that shield of yours really have the ability to stand against dwarvian steel?"

Julia's attack was quick and powerful as she seemed to make a rookie mistake attack towards my unexposed right. I dodged rather than punch, just as Julia Diggers wanted me to do. She shifted her weight, spun on her heals, and was able to land a solid punch right into my chest faster than I could imagine. Hurt like the dickens but I didn't dare show it.

"So you can take a punch." Julia smiled. "Now come and get me."

Most would have tried to charge her headlong, and would have gotten their butt handed to them. I however did a running tackle to her side with my shield between us. My speed caught her offguard, and she was preparing to defend herself, but instead of launching at her, I tossed my shield at the tree line, ducked down , and came up with a devastating uppercut. I felt when her teeth slammed together.

As Julia was set soring into the air, or soreing as the case may be, she just caught sight of the famous disc shield returning from the tree-line and smashing into her. The dull thud of vibranium hitting flesh sickened me as I rushed over to where Julia lay after suffering what I thought was a seriously injuring blow.

"Ma'am are you…." Before I could even finish she was back on her feet and looking for more. This time however she had both my shield and her sword. "Okay I'll take it that you are okay then."

"Very much so, but you seem to be without a weapon Captain." She joked at me.

"I may be without my shield, but my real weapons I never lose." I smile back at her as she attempted to skewer me with her rapier and bash me with my own device. If I was any less a fighter it would have been the end of me, but Operation: Rebirth and the Erskin Super-Soldier Serum when combined with years and years of training did not make Captain America anything less than the pinnacle of human ability.

Every blow that was attempted at me I dodged or countered. Every thrust, slash, jab, or kick attempted at me missed their mark as I was constantly maneuvering and out-thinking Julia Diggers. It was no easy task as I knew that if things went wrong I was going to be in a world of hurt, but then again this was something that Cap lived for. It took several minutes of displaying just how far better physically I was than any normal human, but I was able to grab my shield's rim, pivot on it, and use my momentum to throw Mrs. Diggers to the ground in the leg-hold. In the struggle she lost her grip on her sword.

"I take it that I have shown my abilities to your satisfaction ma'am?" I joke to her as I pinned her arms behind her back and her head in my legs.

"As a matter of fact yes you have. I relent, for now." The red-headed mother of three said as she relaxed and I let her up, handing her back her blade as I did so. "Still I must say for someone who has the oddest sense of dress, you have proven yourself to be an exceedingly competent warrior. Tell me, if you don't mind, what is the metal of this shield? I have never felt anything as light but at the same time as strong hit me before."

"It's uncertain actually. It has been said that it was made from a mixture of adamentium and vibranium, but that has been changed many times in the story." I say as I accept my weapon back. "And thank you for a chance to push myself, I hope I didn't hurt you too hard."

"Oh please, I have been hit harder by my own mother, but you do have a very powerful punch for a supposed normal person."

"Actually I'm far from normal ma'am…"

"Julia please."

"Julia." I corrected myself. "Thanks to the super-soldier serum developed by Dr. Hans Ersken I was changed from a 90 lb weakling to the pinnacle of human ability, sadly a NAZI spy assassinated the good doctor before he was able to mass-produce the formula leaving me the one success of Operation: Rebirth. I dedicated my life to making sure that those who would challenge the rights of others are foiled."

"Is this guy for real?" Brianna asked blinking. "Seriously what kind of guy speaks like that anymore?"

It was later reported to me that a certain Kyrn prince started having a sneezing fit at that time.

"Well miss Brianna in my time we weren't concerned so much as what we would get for ourselves, but stopping the greatest evil the world had ever known." I smile at her, course I was also thinking how women didn't wear clothes that tight either, but best not to insult my hosts.

"Time?" Brianna turned to Britanny and Gina looking for an answer.

"He's originally from the 40's sis, don't question it just tolerate it." Gina said almost gagging.

"And don't try corrupting him." Britanny added. "Last thing we need is him to change from that baseball and apple pie kind of guy to any other type."

"Fine, spoil sport. First the priest and now Mr. Gentleman, you two will owe me bigtime after this. Serious bigtime." The lycanthropoid huffed as she playfully stuck her tongue out at her older sisters.

"I apologize for my youngest's actions, but you must admit that it is a breath of fresh air to have someone so well-mannered around here." Julia smiled. "Now on to the next opponent."

"Next opponent?" I asked.

"Indeed young man. I'm only getting warmed up." The smile on her face made me cringe. She then did the craziest thing I could imagine; she launched herself into the air and tried to come down at me with her sword.

Well crazy likes more crazy so….

Splut..

"Oh my God!"

"Mom what were you thinking?"

"Ms Gina your mother is insane." Mesha said, finally opening her mouth to speak since we started this mess again.

Sadly I was a bit…slow and slipped on the ground where I was promptly skewered like a martini olive.

"Why did you jab a sword into my chest?" I asked while pointing to the offending object sticking out of my body. "Seriously what crazy rationale were you using that you could jab a sword into my freaking pecs?" I was able to push myself up off the ground and started to walk around with the metal still embedded in me.

"I'm…sorry…?" Julia Diggers asked as she stared in complete bewilderment of me strutting around with the hilt of a rapier embedded on the opposite side of my upper body from my heart.

"Sorry? Sorry? Is that all you can say? Look I may be being used as a poorly designed plot device in the lowest form of writing known to man since furry Sailor Moon slash fics, but seriously here why did you do that?" If you can tell where this is going, I pity you.

"What am I seeing here exactly?" Brianna asked as she blinked several times.

"I have no idea." Gina returned her sister's expression. "Dad, Genn, what do you make of this guy?"

"I'm sorry to say Gina, but I can't seem to reach his mind with my telepathy." Genn commented. "All I'm getting is a general sense of…well craziness."

"Pardon me Mister Alex but who exactly are you now?" Tark asked as he held his wife's hand trying to ease her shaking at the site.

"Oh I'm glad you asked there Legolos." I pumped my chest out…then realized I still had a pretty big sword stuck in there so I pulled it out and tossed it to the ground. "I'm the number one guy, the best of the best." I started to jump and spin in a manner I had hoped was like Fred Astaire. "The number one-gun and best lover any woman will ever have. The merc with a mouth, the one and only….DEADPOOL!"

Yep if you had not yet guessed by now I was dressed as a red-suited ninja dude with no remaining sanity, or perhaps better said a hyper –sanity which gives him an ability to rationalize everything he does as he knows he is a comic book character and therefore none of those around him have any actual lasting significance.

"Hey you."

What? Hold a second here who said that?

"I did lame brain. Down here in this text story of yours."

Oh not now….look can we please not do this Wade?

"Like heck I won't. Look I know that you are sitting there at your computer. What possible reason do you think that I'm going to play along with this self-insert nonsense? What possible idiotic reason do you think you can…."

Britanny and Brianna have boobs.

"Come again?"

Look you idiot you're at the freaking Diggers' mansion. What possible other reason do you need to play along with this? You've got several women there who have bodies, 100% natural bodies mind you, that make plastic surgery look like crap and there are two if not more that have an interest in you. Think about it.

"Oh right…Sorry everyone forget I said anything."

Right thank you. Pardon that momentary mind-f**k, we are back on track.

So yes in case you are wondering the Diggers crew was flabbergasted at the vision of a red-ninja garbed guy with two swords strapped on his back, an assortment of firearms, and more explosives than Brianna's purse.

"Well that was weird." Gina said as she focused on her instruments again.

"Hey Alex you okay?" Britanny said walking up to me and looking at the tear in my shirt.

"Of course my super sexy lycanthropic love machine." I smile under my mask. "Now that I have you next to me all is perfect."

"Well that's goo…."

"Well you and that awesome body. Say how about after I get through making sure that your mother knows who's the top ass-kicker around here you and I go off and test regenerative abilities? What do you say?"

"Excuse me?"

"Okay so you aren't one for intense games." I continued. "You up to sharing some personal techniques then? Because I have a few that you are going to…"

I didn't get to finish my statement as Dr. Diggers blasted the ground at my feet with a mystic bolt.

"You missed." I said looking at him. "I don't." down the barrel of an assault pistol.

"ALEX!" Britanny screamed into my ears nearly perforating a drum.

"What?" I was busy sticking my pinky finger where my ear should be and didn't notice the irate werecat's look at me.

"Threatening my father's life once is more than enough. Now if you dare try that again you can count me out as a friend for the rest of your life." While she looked like she was going to bash me upside the head, I could tell it was hurting her to say that.

"Okay okay, sheesh it's not like it would have really hurt him. Probably would have been a through-and-through shot and he's an aura mage." I still removed the magazine and pulled the receiver bolt back emptying the round in the chamber. "There satisfied?"

Taking the gun from my hand, Britanny crushed it without any difficulty. "Now I am."

"Britanny please it was my fault." Julia said patting her daughter's shoulder. "And I owe you an apology Alex. I had no intention of actually harming you."

"Eh it's okay, besides it's not like you could actually do me any harm anyway." I said sighing over the twisted junk that was a quality tool of Deadpool's infamous trade.

"Well not to burst your bubble but…"

"No I'm serious. Look Julia I'm in the form of a guy you can't possibly do any long-term damage to. I mean I've been shot, stabbed, impaled, exploded, eaten, decapitated, eviscerated, frozen, crushed, smashed, and everything else. Heck I've even met Death a few times and I'm still around." I finished my tirade then went back to staring at Britanny's chest.

"Don't count yourself lucky just because you have come back from there Deadpool. That luck of yours will run out sooner or later."

"Oh I doubt that. See when I said I met Death I mean that literally. In the comics we actually used to date. Course the DC version is a lot cuter but if I was to wind-up with her I'd have to stay in a three-some with that blonde bastard Constantine and I can tell you that guy is a prick." Dear readers if you are following this I applaud you, if you are lost you are in the same boat as the Diggers crew.

"Hey Theo, is this nut being honest?" Julia cried to her husband while sheaving her sword.

"I can't attest to the accuracy of his story, as I can't seem to get into that head of his, but I can't detect any lies from his words." Dr. Diggers was busy scratching his head as he tried to relieve the tension of attempting telepathy with me. Not a pretty sight.

"Well now that we got that out of the way, do you still want to fight or am I excused to demonstrate to your daughter why this guy's old flame Domino called me a living energizer bunny?" I was sticking my thumb at Britanny, who went bright red at my comment.

The other responses were Julia getting that "wtf" face people do at something crazy, Dr. Digger's blowing his top in his demon head form, the two elves blushing greatly, Genn scooting away from Dr. Digger's aura, Gina's glasses dropping off her face, and Brianna licking her lips.

"Young man." Theo growled at me.

"What? Oh come on like that's going to do anything pal." I called him on his bluff while Julia regained her composure and lead Cheetah back to the porch. "Look you want to really dance we can dance."

"Very well young man I…" Before Dr. Diggers could continue his wife tapped him on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. "Very well my dear. Young man since we really have taken enough time doing this the long way, how about we retire to my daughter Gina's lab for a far quicker study." As the others took off only Julia and I remained.

"Oh fine, but if she tries to dissect me I'm going to have some choice words with her. She may not hear it over the sound of the grenades going off but I will have something appropriately bad-ass, probably something from Die Hard, or maybe that A-Team movie, or how about Clint Eastwood, yea he's always good for something badass to quote." Yes I did ramble on for a bit, but Mrs. Diggers stopped me from going too far.

"Alex. I want to talk with you privately. Not your alternate personas but you."

"Okay Julia. What can I do for you?" I asked as I changed back to my normal self and had to look up at the redheaded hostess.

"It's not for me. Look…I have a request of you, actually I want you to promise me something." She was dead serious in the most literal sense of the word.

"What is it?" I replied in equal sincerity.

"For the longest time I have been confident that my daughters will be okay, that they would be able to handle anything that they come across in their adventures and be just fine. But now you tell me that Gotherwaine will want Britanny dead, killed my mother-in-law before I knew her, and is responsible for my father-in-law becoming the Lich King. If that is completely true then I am concerned for all of our safety."

"And you don't want to take chances?"

"You know about wererats, and how fanatically driven they are as killers and breed to have no shred of humanity in them. If Gotherwaine knows about you then that will only compound his paranoia and he likely will attempt to take my girls' lives if not my entire family to the grave." The middle-aged martial arts badass squeezed her arms as she waited for my response.

"Ma'am, you won't have to worry about Iceron while I am here. He won't get Britanny, Gina, Brianna, you, your husband, or any other family you have left while I'm around." I finished this promise while changing into a rather tall cowboy esc individual with a broad hat, stylized bandito like mouth guard (which I pulled down), and a big overcoat. "I swear to God that I will do all I can to keep Britanny safe."

"Even if she decides she doesn't feel any romance for you?" Julia joked slightly smiling at me. "I ask because I saw how you reacted with her."

"Britanny is a friend, and I won't do anything to threaten the trust she has placed in me." I answer back. "And since she is a friend she will always be able to rely on me to have her best interests in mind."

"Well that is a fair answer, but tell me how do you expect to be able to take on the entire wererat clan?" Julia smirked at me as she towered over me. I just chuckled at this.

"Ma'am I have taken on threats from simple bank-robbers to international terrorists to cosmic level entities out to devour worlds. Facing a several thousand year old sorcerer who has become the slave of his own minion is more or less par for the course with me."

Julia was far from impressed with my response, so she continued.

"Yes but those are in videogames where you can replay if you lose a life, and regardless of this being a comic book in your world it is very real to us and filled with very real threats." Julia's voice was stern, but not truly abrasive at this point. "Now I am very impressed that you took down a full grown dragon, and I must admit that I was much like you in my days of a treasure hunter, but this is my family's lives you are talking about."

"Okay, so what kind of assurance are you looking here?"

"I want you to promise me that you will go on every expedition that Britanny gets dragged into from now on, much like she gets pulled into adventures with Gina." The very tall redheaded lady smiled at me as if she had something hidden in that request.

"Okay not sure what you are thinking of in that devious mind of yours, but since I don't have any plans but trying to figure out how I got here I may as well earn my keep somehow." I knew that Mrs. Diggers had another reason for getting me to agree to this, but for now I would just let it play out.

"That's the spirit young man. Now they are all waiting for you down in my daughter's lab so let's not keep them waiting." Julia firmly pushed me back into the house at that point to a place I really didn't want to go. "By the way, who exactly is it that you changed into right now?"

"Van Helsing ma'am, but you can call me Gabriel."

*End Flashback*

Now that you know the backstory, Gina found that damn jewel, dragged Britanny and myself to South America and wanted me as a back-up way out of here if needed. As for why I am falling? I needed to clear the chopper before I could safely change.

"Alex anytime now!" Gina cried.

Quick shift from myself to a dark clad individual with a long cape that I grabbed the edges of and drifted down to the ground while Britanny grabbed her sister and bounded to the jungle floor.

"You okay Alex?" Britanny smiled as she still had Gina under her arm. I stood up and draped my cape over my shoulders and gave Britanny a once-over. Not saying anything, I said everything. "Damn that stare is sexy."

"Speak for yourself Brit, that guy gives me the shivers." Gina said as she was let go and took the gem out from her pocket.

"Where are we going Ms. Diggers?" I asked in a tone that caused Gina to go into a series of full body shivers, Britanny was only slightly intimidated before going back to imagining the main objective she was after here.

"You're right of course. Okay now to business!" Britanny said as she got her sister out of the extreme state of shock I was keeping her in. "Let's find that 'lost temple of gold' and get back home with some Loot!"

"Yes well…" Gina focused back on the task at hand as best she could, but was having some difficulties with the current character I had chosen.

"As you know Britanny archaeology isn't about looting ancient ruins, Cheetah! It's about history! It's about discovering a piece of the man's past to fit into the BIG PICTURE!" While Gina had attempted to put on a brave face and show little of the uncomfortable nature she was feeling. The sensor arrays in my headset and the training the individual I used to glide down easily let me know she was quivering in her hiking boots.

No I guess Gina wouldn't like him, course you wouldn't call Batman likeable but he's not supposed to be. I needed the gliding wings of his cape to descend safely to the forest floor. If I had used any character with flight abilities the shock wave would have irreparably damaged Ace's aircraft as I accelerated to flight speed. But since we were finally on the forest floor and Batman's garment is hardly suited for the rainforest, I switched back to my usual self.

"Oh whatever." Britanny commented to her sister, not really acknowledging my shift but still seemingly aware I was no longer in superhero mode.

"You know, this is very unlike you Cheetah. Usually I have to drag you out on these adventures. Now you're all get up and go!" Gina did have a point as the time we had taken to prepare for this jaunt was one where Gina did all the work and Britanny spent her time, and money, at the mall. It wasn't a complete waste of time though, as it did allow me to get some personal time with her.

"Well to tell the truth….I'm sixty thousand dollars over my credit card limit and this is the fastest way I know to make some big-time dinero….(without breakin' the law that is!)"

"So you're flat broke again? Figures." Gina smirked. I was shocked to hear that Britanny was lacking funds as well after that incident with Dreadwing, but knowing how many of her clothes get ruined in this line of work or how they have to be custom made for her, yea it makes sense.

"So how are we gonna find this lost temple of gold?" Britanny asked her sister as I tried to remember what happened next, but for the life of me I couldn't quite remember if there was a trap, or some sort of badguy. I remembered there was an important plot point, but darn what in the heck was it…

"With this little trinket right here! The Gem of Returning!" Gina proudly displayed the bobble she had hidden away in her pack, some sort of cut ruby I would guess but I didn't get a chance to take a good look at it.

"Say what?" Britanny looked around in a huff, moving her ears from side to side as she seemed to be picking up some sort of sound.

"Oh its riddle was quite complicated, but it was no match for my IQ of 210." Gina's smile was about as big as her ego/IQ at that point. I was more focused on what could be around us, so I shifted into someone who was a fit for the foliage. 5'2" tall and twin katanas, Leonardo was back in action.

"Its corners measured upon its facets can produce the trigonomic distance and bearing to the temple no matter where you are in the entire universe…! Provided you know your own location in relation to…" I would have argued that Gina's claim was far too vast, but I would use Silver Surfer to check that claim of hers later.

"Okay OKAY! You're giving me an Excedrin headache this big!" Britanny punctuated that statement holding her hands shoulder width apart, which was a pretty fair distance with being as tall as she is. "Is that the rock you traded from the museum?"

"You know it! And it only cost us Greenbeard's treasure map which we found in the Bermuda Triangle. Those Smithsonian rubes are sooo dense!" Gina's giddiness was matched only by Britanny's annoyance and my disbelief. What pirate actually made treasure maps? Outside of Robert Lewis Stevenson it's a myth. Oh well comic book logic for you.

"I think you're the one who got gypped this time. Hey Alex you're being sort of quite lately, something bothering you sweety?" Britanny asked tapping my shell.

"I'm fine thank you Cheetah, it is just I know something is about to happen but I can't remember what it is."

"Well when you do, please let me know beforehand. I don't want to get caught in a dragon's trap again."

"Shh! We're near the entrance. We can find its exact location by looking at the special lens in the first facet. Hmn." Gina focused her new toy while I attempted to get a better feel of what dangers were possibly around us. "The temple's secret door is just twenty yards this way."

"Then let's get this over with." At that very moment both Britanny and I detected something was off, but "Hold up Gina…"

"Now what?"

"I thought I heard something." Britanny's ear swiveled behind her as Gina was starting yet another argument with her taller sibling, someone or something huge dropped down from the trees. This something was muscular, fuzzy, and yelled at us to.

"TURN BACK!"

Now for those that know Leonardo (the TMNT character not the painter) you know that he is one of the greatest ninja on earth so when something seemed to attack us…

SWIP

SWOOP

Things didn't quite go well for our assailant.

"Okay pal, I don't know who you are or what you are after, but you are going to keep your hands where I can see them and no funny business." At that moment my blades where at either side of the (I was guessing man's) neck and all it would take is for me to take his head off would be to slide the razor-sharp edges past eachother.

"Okay now who are you and why are you trying to stop us?" Britanny asked giving the guy a once over.

"I am Stripe." Ah hell that was the plot point that I was trying to remember. Yep Stripe Gia prince of the Kryn and Britanny's husband in the comics makes his appearance at this point. Damn of all things to happen it had to be that which I feared from the get go of the adventure. Well nothing to do but let it play out and see how Britanny reacts to him. "The Area you were advancing upon was once my home. That place is now home to a dark evil, and I must prevent you from suffering the fate that fell upon the rest of my people."

"Are…are you a were-cat like me?" Britanny was beginning to get a little hot under the collar and her blush was a bit obvious. I grit my teeth at this; seeing how the new pretty boy was affecting my first chance at a relationship. Damn why of all the times…but that can wait.

"I'm afraid not. I and the rest of my kind are called Kryn. And I mean neither you nor your friends harm and apologize for startling you all. I promise I will do you no harm so please could you take the swords away from my neck?"

I obliged and retracted the katanas from the man's fur.

"I thank you, and again I apologize for any offense I may have given." And this was the number one reason I was getting a feeling of resentment from the guy. Perfect gentleman like myself; nice, caring, carries the responsibility of such well. But where he naturally impresses Britanny and the like I had to use other characters to even get my foot in the door with her and no woman in my own world seemed to like me.

Damn I was not doing this again. Britanny is my friend and Stripe didn't do me any harm, not to mention nothing had happened yet and there were people who needed help. I switched back to being my normal mammalian self.

"Well you did startle us, but at the same time you don't mean us any harm. So let's start this over shall we?" I smile and offer my hand in friendship. "The name's Alex McLean, and these are my friend's the famous scientist Gina Diggers, and the lovely werecheetah Britanny Diggers."

"A pleasure, but may I ask weren't you a giant turtle a few seconds ago?" Stripe asked as accepted my friendship.

"I've seen him turn into turtles, robots, mutants, spirits of vengeance, and even a god or two." Britanny smiled proudly at me. "He's a one-person superhero team."

"Course he's also turned into a few women, but please don't ask to see that as it's not a good idea." Gina said in her uber-scientist voice.

"Fascinating." Stripe said in thought.

"Course he also claims he's from a universe where we are comic book characters so it's very possible he's just insane." Gina joked at me.

"Well that's certainly a new one on me. Forgive me for asking but how is it that you two are sisters when you are human Gina but Britanny is not?"

"Well actually I'm her father's ward." Cheetah answered with a hurt expression on her face. I took the moment to place my hand on her shoulder in an attempt to say it would be okay. To be honest I have no idea why Stripe asked that question as it was sort of personal and in a very rude manner. For crying out loud pal you just met them. Well anyway Cheetah went into detail as to her history (with the details about Gotherwaine causing the near total genocide of her tribe) and Gina told her story of her love of science.

"That is very interesting Ms. Gina, tell me since your father is skilled in magic, do you happen to have any talent in it?" Stripe asked with a great deal of hope in his voice. "It could help us all a great deal."

"Sadly no I do not, but thankfully our friend here can turn into a few magic users that can really help out if you need it." Gina said sticking her thumb at me. "Cheetah and I go on these archeological outings once in a while though so we're far from helpless."

"Especially if we need to call in some backup." I smile while tapping the side of what looked like a blue-tooth headset. "Hey Brianna you getting all this?"

"Loud and clear good buddy." The sweet sound of Brianna's playful voice was a pleasant distraction from my jealousy. "You keep giving me toys like these and I'm likely going to try and 'convince' you that I'm the best choice."

"I'll keep that in mind. So how's the new equipment going?" I continued to chat as Stripe let the way towards the entrance.

"Fantastic thank you very much." Brianna's glowing pride was going into the "rivals the sun in intensity" level as tapping of some sort was heard in the background. "With your ability to use technology from a variety of super-genius guys I'm going to be a very happy girl for a long time to come. Even going to try to turn some of this 'bat-tech' into my personal 'Brianna-tech' if I can."

"Just don't try to build an army of organic-hating robotic killers and we'll all get along fine."

"Sounds fair to me." I heard a few other noises in the background, noises which didn't quite sound like electronics or even Genn crying to be untied from the bed. Sounded more like a lot of hissing and spitting. "I take it that your assistant isn't very happy today?"

"Hey she's your freaking cat pal." Brianna joked back to me. "She's a sweetheart and I don't mind watching her while you play bodyguard for my siblings, but when you are gone she is not being a happy camper."

"Probably didn't like the fact she got caught is subspace limbo for several days when I got ported over here. Just give her a rub behind the ears for me and I'll find some way to make it up to both of you."

"Don't worry Alex I'll find a way for you to pay me back, just don't complain about it when I go into details. By the way, could you please give Gina the com unit? Every time you shift character the thing disappears so I lost you during that firefight."

"Will do." I removed the doo-hicky from my ear and tapped Gina on the shoulder. "Here your sister wants to talk."

"Oh thanks." She took the device and hit the on-switch for the camera. "Let me know if you have trouble receiving this Bri, I want to make sure I document everything."

"You have another sister?" Stripe asked Britanny, who was having difficulty tearing herself away from staring at the cat-man's backside.

"Yea buns…I mean hun." Cheetah caught herself. "Brianna's back home working on some personal equipment right now so we'll introduce you to her later. So can you unlock the secret door?"

"I'm not sure…When my people were cursed I fled through the portal and never returned." The prince led the way for a bit as I fell to the rear and shifted form again. Bigger and even less human than my last form, I thought that a Yautja would be a pretty good selection in our current location. For those rattling their heads that's the species name for the creature called "Predator".

I flipped through a number of vision moods and added Stripe to the database of allies in the helmet. It wasn't too long before our trek ended and we were standing before a doorway hidden by the brush.

"Here it is. I'll see if I can open it." Stripe started working on opening the door while I overheard Britanny whispering to Gina.

"Gina, get a load of the muscles in his lower back, girl! Umph!"

"Yeah, but it's a bit too furry for me, tho!"

I could actually smell the pheromones rising from Britanny and wondered if I ever made her feel that way. Thankfully I just focused on covering our backside and was able to put such thoughts away.

"Speak friend and enter." I joked using a recording of Ian McKellen's voice from Lord of the Rings. Sadly the movie had yet to be released by the time I was doing this so the three people looked at me like I was insane.

"Well yes, its opening. Our luck seems to be holding up…Let's hope it stays that way." Stripe mentioned as we journeyed into the darkness of the cavern. While it didn't affect Britanny or myself due to our ability to see in numerous wavelengths of light, Gina had to use a flashlight. When she finally got the miniature camera in the speaker unit focused on Stripe, let's just say that the device was bouncing like crazy on Gina's ear. I just smirked and shook my head.

As we continued Gina switched focus to her nature as a scientist.

"Was this cavern used very often by your people Stripe?" The dust on the floor and the absence of any markings would likely reveal the answer to that question, but since Gina didn't have infrared or electromagnetic vision I couldn't exactly blame her for not knowing.

"Not really Gina, my people lived a secluded life far from the interference of outsiders." Stripe answered, and for a moment reminded me of ruler of another kingdom with abundant amounts of a rare metal in a jungle. Course the Black Panther is in Africa, but it was a close comparison.

"Then how come you know how to speak English so well? You hardly have an accent." Gina was asking our new associate a lot of questions, while Britanny just kept trying not to be obsessed with the new guy.

"Gina if you don't stop interrogating Stripe, I'll personally slash your tongue out!" Note to self, do not upset a were-cat with little reserve for violence. "Stripe is kind, considerate and caring. There's no need to confuse him with you nit-picking little questions."

"My my. Aren't we over-protective today? Afterall don't you have someone special from our last little trip? Someone who defeated a dragon to avenge your apparent death?" Gina's teasing was hurting more than her sister as she was making it very difficult for me as well.

"Alex, I think it best if we perhaps scout ahead to make sure the way is safe." I nodded at Stripe's suggestion. "We'll call back for you when everything is safe."

"Be careful you two." Due to the inability to converse I just nodded my head and followed the now smaller man along the way.

"I take it that you are the other man that Cheetah spoke of, and understand if you do not wish to answer." Stripes started. "But if you do not mind my asking, how is it that you came in contact with Cheetah? I do not mean to be rude, only I have never met a woman like her before. And they say you took on a dragon?"

While I was unable to verbally answer the question I flipped open the com-unit on my left forearm and activated the hologram device. In a moment the bright red images of Dreadwing and a short overview of the fight were shown. After a moment I deactivated the hologram and looked at my new friend to see his impressed face.

"I see. I hope that you and I don't have to be on opposite side anytime soon then." I gave him a thumbs up and returned to flipping through vision moods to see that all appeared to be clear, but that likely would change.

"I cannot detect any of my former kinsmen, so it should be okay for the girls to join us." Stripe's comment I knew was going to be a set up for a classic monster movie attack, so while he headed back towards the tunnel, I started going through my bandoleer for something to help even the score.

I thumbed through a few items, but soon found a few traps. With a quick flick of the wrist I sent these motion tracking bombs flying to the side of walls, the floor several paces from us, and even a few places over our heads. When I took a look around it seemed as if it would give some protection if we were attacked. If not, well I had the option of turning them off.

"Gina, Cheetah…this is my home. It's as beautiful as it is dangerous. We must be cautions." Stripe said as he brought Gina and Britanny in to take a look. Gina's response was one of absolute wonder, Britanny…not so much.

"ZOINKS!"

"Funky." I wasn't sure if she was talking about the view, or the fact that she got a whiff of her new love-interest and his lack of having a bath in a few days, but Britanny's comment certainly was an interesting one.

"This isn't the lost temple of gold, it isn't even the lost skyscraper of gold…THIS IS THE LOST CITY OF GOLD! YEEHAH!" I don't blame Gina for her enthusiasm, but I was getting images of that intro to "Road to Eldorado" going through my head thanks to her. I just shook my head and tried not thinking of elephants so the song didn't get caught repeating and repeating in my mind.

"Get a grip Gold Digger!" Britanny replied, thankfully quick enough to be a diversion from any future mental images of a Disney knock-off with the guy who played Data. "Is this whole city made of gold Stripe?"

"As far as I know. This gold was the only building material here when my ancestors built this city." If I wasn't so enchanted by the beauty of the place I would be wondering just how in the heck gold could work as a building material. It may not react chemically, but how on earth was it able to support a structure so vast? I'd ask later.

"This city…Once home to my proud people." Britanny put a comforting hand on his shoulder as everyone could probably feel the sorrow in the prince's heart. Sadly I also figured that this is about the time when…

BOOM!

"What was that?" Gina asked as we were assaulted by a legion of what looked like golems with catfaces.

"NO! They've found us." Stripe's assessment was not only accurate, but also unsurprising as we had been making far too much noise for attacking an enemy stronghold. I decided to switch to cloaked mode and selected my combstick.

"Wha?" Britanny said as one particularly aggressive one attempted to jump her. Thankfully they only seemed to see in normal color and it found itself thrown several feet, hitting another foe, and causing both to set off another explosive turning them both to powder.

"Jinkies! These guys are made of stone."

"These are what remains of my people." Stripe informed us. "Mindless slaves turned into animated magical statues."

"But how can we defend ourselves without hurting your friends Stripe?" Gina asked, only to see a blur as time and time again a stone kryn would be impaled in the chest or head, struck hard in the shoulder, or decapitated. "And sorry for the one's Alex seems to have killed."

"Do not worry Gina, they are cursed. No matter how you destroy one, it will regenerate itself!" It was good news, but I seemed to be the only one actually doing anything about our current dire situation.

"The let's bust them up. A few supersonic left hooks should handle this one." Britanny's calm demeanor was complimented with swift action as she effortlessly turned one opponent into gravel.

"Set phasers to 'flame broil' crew!" Gina's retaliation was the use of a plasma cannon of sorts, but it only caused her to get knocked on her ass as her shot was completely wild.

"Ooops. That was my tachyon beam. I meant to use my photon charge. How many did I hit?" It was Britanny who answered that one as I dropped cloak and tossed my weapon to Stripe.

"You totally missed all of them, but the friggin' shockwave from the blast wasted half of them though." Cheetah's banter with her sister could have waited till later, but it wouldn't be the same if they weren't busy gabbing. I was focused on stabbing another foe in the head with my wristblades. I didn't have time to claim a trophy, so just moved on.

"Thank you for the weapon my friend." Stripe said jumping over two charging foes. "But beware their claws. If they touch your blood you'll turn into one of them." It seemed as if Stripe knew what he was doing as the addition of a weapon in his hands was allowing him to keep his advisories at bay.

I nodded in understanding and grabbed the weapon attached to my right side. My clawed hand slid across into the finger holds and in one seamless dance of body and computer, my vision mood switched to electromagnetic, my HUD targeting activated, I selected the targets, and I let fly my disk-blade.

The sonically vibrating plasma forged black disk sliced effortlessly through the torsos, necks, and even abdomens of several of my opponents before returning to my hand. The moment my tool was back in my grasp the damaged foes fell to the ground dissipating into dust. I smiled (or closest a Predator can smile as it has mandibles not lips) then swung around on one foot as I was assaulted from behind. The years of combat and killing my character had lived through was an advantage though as I grabbed the hilt of my maul in my left hand and sliced up and through cleaving my target in half before it knew what hit it.

Sadly our seeming victory was not going to be gained without something going terribly wrong. And boy did it go wrong. Britanny was easily holding her own, but wasn't bothering to keep aware of her surroundings as she was grabbed by the collar and tossed right into Stripe's back causing both to crash into the ground.

"He's charging! Look out!" Britanny cried as she was laying ontop of the prince. Of all the things that continued to be forcing them together I was not having a pleasant day today. Of course I was worried about their safety, but deep down part of me was pissed off that the first potential significant other I have ever had was going to wind up with the guy she marries in the comics.

"Don't let him get you Cheetah." With two of our party incapacitated and Gina messing around with her rifle for some reason, I just decided to take this last pain in the ass down old-school.

As the stone kryn was focused on the two cat-like individuals I leapt at it, knocked his right arm off with my maul, and grabbed him by the throat with one hand. I took a good look at the face of my struggling opponent and was disgusted by how the dark magic's inflicted on him had warped what was supposedly human face into one of horrid vileness. As I decided what to do with him, three little red dots appeared on his forehead.

"You are one ugly mother f**ker." I played the Arnold line over my speaker as a bright blue explosion from my plasma caster obliterated the head. I dropped the remainder of the body to the ground as the neck was still smoking from the impact. I helped both Cheetah and Stripe get back on their feet as Gina pipped in.

"Wow talk about losing your head. Course you were probably thinking of another head there Cheetah. I saw you copping a feel on Stripe. Shame. Shame." Gina's constant teasing of her sister was really beginning to be a pain and my patients with the little brainy blonde were running low. I clenched my hands around my combestick as I retrieved it from the ground.

"I was not!" Britanny retorted towards her sister's needling. "I was bracing for a counterattack. Anyway thanks for the save Alex I owe you bigtime." I cupped Britanny's shoulder and gave her a re-assuring pat on the back.

"Indeed Alex thank you, but we should be moving as soon as possible. It won't be long before the reform themselves." Stripe's observations were astoundingly accurate as even now the cobbled mass on the floor seemed to be twitching with life. Having seen Terminator 2 I had no desire to remain here for a second fight.

It was several minutes later that we found ourselves in what seemed like a secure area of the city, but I laid down some laser traps to make sure that if anyone followed us through the hallways they would be sliced to ribbons. Taking the time to get some intell on the foes we just faced, Gina took out a fairly famous looking piece of computer tech and started running some tests. It seemed to be taking a while, and I was getting a little nervous as any time we spent in the open like this was time we could be attacked.

"I'm almost finished analyzing the data I collected from those stonecats with this computer-book guys. I just wish I could have taken more readings before we broke away from the scene." While I don't fault Gina for wanting to know more, in fact agree with her it was a good idea, I thought that getting out alive was more important. "Brianna did you get anything special on your end?"

The blue-tooth like device made it difficult for anyone but Gina to hear what Brianna said, but from the oldest of the Diggers sister's response it was a big negative.

"I've never seen that computer-book before. Where did you get it Gina? Doesn't look like anything Alex shared with us." Britanny's observations were surprisingly astute as the tag "property of Penny" with a capital G on the side meant that a certain pony-tailed girl with a cyborg uncle was missing her gear.

"I borrowed it from that quiet little girl with the weirdo uncle from around the way…"

"Is it working?" Stripe asked, and I would have too as it seemed to be processing about as slowly as a torrent download.

"It's processing speed leaves much to be desired, and even I could find the sixth root of a ten digit number faster than this 'dinosaur' can, but it's sensor array is extraordinary and precise. I have all of the molecular data on our petrified pals back there!" Gina noted while holding the book up. "I agree Bri, when we get home we'll take it apart and see if Stark, Wayne, or that Lexcorp tech Alex has access to can make this thing into a roadrunner."

"Enough already! Let's cut to the chase. What happened to Stripe's people miss genius?" Britanny may have been asking Gina, but she should have asked Stripe first. While Gina may have figured out how the changed chemically and such, wouldn't Stripe have at least given us something to start with?

"Ya know with all the data I've collected and all of those high-tech calculations and formulas I've derived, I really don' have the foggiest idea." I just slapped the top of my headpiece and pointed to Stripe.

"You know Alex since those stone things aren't attacking you could just change back into your usual adorable self." Britanny pointed out as she smirked at me. My reply was to activate the hologram projector again and show that I still had some traps waiting for those that meant I harm.

"Oh right got yea." Gina said instantly getting it. "You shift form, our safety net goes too."

"Well that stinks." Britanny countered. "I've gotten so used to your inside knowledge that not having your insight sucks."

"Yes well I feel I could shed some light on the subject, without having to lose our level of protection." Stripe said sheepishly. "The cause of my people's everlasting damnation lies with the cowardice and incompetence of their prince and protector…"

As Stripe began his story Britanny was hanging on his every word, much like she was with me in Dreadwing's cave.

"This Kryn was the sworn protector and executive of his subjects. Among his many tasks was the protection of my people most precious yet dangerous artifacts. These artifacts could cause terrible harm when wielded by the wrong hands." Stripe's attempt to do a third person insult to himself was about as lame as it was in the comics. Good grief at first I thought that Britanny feel for him because he was a genuinely good person and a responsible ruler. This telling of the story in which he is avoiding saying he was in charge made him sound…well like an epic fail.

"A short time ago, an enemy intruder made his way into the royal keep and the chamber of the crown of the ancients. The crown's magic protected my people from the powers of our enemies. Although the intruder was soon challenged, the prince of the Kryn detected the intruder much too late." Why Stripe didn't say it was he who is the prince I never think I ever will figure out.

"He couldn't prevent the intruder from capturing the crown and using its power to render him helpless. With the prince taken care of, the intruder had his way with my people." Boy did that just sound wrong.

"The intruder somehow reversed the protective powers of the crown and turned everyone into the mindless abominations we fought earlier. The prince…I…escaped to live with the memory of my failure." For the love of mike. Britanny was listening to his story with sympathy, and I too felt sorry for him, but this attitude of his was getting us nowhere.

"It's not your fault Stripe." Britanny smiled at her new friend. "Sometimes there's very little we can do. Right Alex?" Britanny turned to me, and was looking for some level of agreement or something behind the soulless reflective lenses of my faceplate.

If it had been me there without Britanny and Gina I would have just Gibbs slapped Stripe for the sake of policy. However, since I didn't want to seem as a complete jerk to my friends I had to use a more subtle approach, or perhaps more tactful. I took my combestick from its holder, extended it, and slammed it hard into his grasp.

"Huh? What did you do that for?" Gina asked as Stripe took the weapon from my hands.

"Yea Alex there's no reason to be rude." Britanny commented. "We are afterall guests and Stripe is a prince."

"It's alright, after failing to protect my people I may not deserve to…" TWHAP. I had enough of the self-pitying pretty boy and just slapped him in the face. Not hard enough to do more than stop his train of thought, but I was tempted to just belt him. As the other three were wondering just what in the hell I was doing, I growled a bit at the Kryn royal and again pressed the length of the weapon against his chest. It took him a moment to figure out what I meant by what I was doing, but when he did he smiled.

"Come on you apes, you want to live forever?" the sound from Starship Trooper's call to arms was seemingly appropriate as I got the tiger-striped guy in a loin cloth out of his depressed mood. All the more so as I used the recorded of Rayjack and not the main character of the film as Rico wasn't nearly as badass.

"Very good my friend." Stripe said taking his borrowed implement of combat firmly in his grasp. "I see that you don't waste time with words."

"Well now that we are all on the same page, what's next?" Britanny asked as she scratched the side of her head. If this was the comics this was when she and Stripe escaped to have their first make-out session, but thankfully that didn't occur as Gina piped in with her battle plan.

"Well let's try to find the source of this power that's turned Stripe's kin into mobile lawn jockeys. Maybe we can stop it if we find what's responsible." As Gina was continuing to run the computer, I figured that maybe some Predator tech would be use full and tried to see if I could get my projector to form a hologram to match Gina's 2D scan. "A-hah! I've got a positive fix on some very weird electron patterns."

Sure enough, those same abnormal patterns were detectible by my alternate vision modes, but strangely I wasn't able to get anything from them beyond the fact they appeared odd.

"It looks like it's coming from the center of town. I'll just gather my stuff and we can head out there. Alex can you get that projector of yours to show a map for us to follow?" Gina's request was a fair one, but I wasn't able to get my image inducer to make what her device was indicating should be.

"Looks like it's on the fritz." Britanny said as the red lines of the hologram flickered erratically. "Maybe you should get that thing debugged when we get home."

"Well it's better than nothing, besides Stripe can fill in the details as we progress." Gina commented as she looked the images over. "But according to what Alex and I are seeing the bad guy is likely held up in this central tower area in the center of the city."

"That would be the main throne room, and sadly it will not be easy to assault as it is also the most heavily defended part of the whole city." Stripe pointed out as I tried to see if there was some sort of short range scanner I could use to make a zoomed in version to formulate a plan of attack. Since the whole freaking town was coated in gold, that was proving to be an impossibility for now.

"Well that makes sense." Britanny pointed out. "So any covert ways into the inner passages or perhaps a secret door?"

"There is one way that perhaps may work, but it's a narrow access tunnel which would require us to have to get in fairly close to the structure before entering. My people may have been worried of attacks from our ancient foes the Atlantians, but escape routes into the jungle was not part of any plans we had." Stripe's expertise meant we did have a way in, but the way to it was pretty darn open to assault. Not something I was looking forward to.

"Well enough waiting around, we've got a city to save and a series baddie who needs a butt-whooping." Britanny smiled as she cracked her knuckles at the prospect of more fighting. "So lead the way Stripe we've got work to do."

It didn't take long at all for our party to make it to the outside of the structure, mainly due to not actually encountering any resistance. This for me meant that this was way to freak'n easy and at any moment we were going to be accosted by a horde of stone kryn, so I didn't give in to the lax sense dread that Gina and Britanny seemed to have.

"Well so far so good." Gina said as she took out a portable apple drink and enjoyed some fresh fluids. "Looks like they weren't expecting us." Before any of us could do anything one lone stone foe had slipped past all detection and jumped down on Gina from an overhanging ledge.

"Gina!" Britanny cried as her sister and Stripe's former subject scuffled on the ground.

"Now little one I shall turn you into one of us." The solo advocacy had seriously underestimated the amount of retaliation she was about to get, or perhaps didn't care as once Gina was turned there would be little we could do to save her and the kryn would merely reform later.

Whatever plans the kryn may have had, where sidetracked as the little bobble from earlier fell out of Gina's pocket and in a mighty flash stone was returned to flesh and blood.

"Zoinks! She-She's reverted back to normal!" Gina said as an exhausted female kryn was carefully laid to the ground and checked to make sure she was okay.

"You okay there Gina?" Britanny asked her shocked sister, well we were all sort of shocked but Gina was likely the most so due to what just happened right before her eyes.

"Yea just a little surprised that's all." Thankfully no one was harmed and the Kryn's vital signs were more or less normal. "And it seems that we've found a way to save the rest of your people Stripe."

The petite blonde picked up her trophy and examined it. "The Gem of Returning, it has some kind of magic power."

"I think that after seeing what just happened that's sort of a 'well duh' Gina." Britanny commented as she took a close look at the stone. "Since we don't want to get attacked like that again I say we boogie on down to wherever the entrance to the backway is."

"I agree Cheetah, we are far too open here." Stripe commented as he pointed to a very narrow separation between two parts of the building. "Thankfully there is where we need to go."

As the Kryn prince pointed, I noticed something moving in the shadows activated my cloaking tech again.

"Where did he…?" Stripe asked as I had gone to nothing but a shimmer.

"Don't worry about Alex there pal, worry about what he noticed that we didn't." I hear Britanny say as I crept up to where I saw the movement, wristblades extended.

What I found hidden within the allyway was a small African American (based off facial bone structure) female of comparable age to Gina and Britanny. This had to be Gina's biggest rival the infamous Penny "Pincher" Pincer and she seemed to be armed with a single-shot crossbow.

Although such a weapon would likely only be an annoyance to me in my current form, I didn't wish to alert any additional advocacies and so jumped several feet into the air and onto the top of the causeway. Remarkably I did so without making a sound and made my way silently behind the young lady.

"Should we investigate where our friend went off to?" Stripe asked several feet away; predator hearing is such a wonderful thing.

"Nope, trust me Stripe. When Alex is doing his creepy alien head-hunter guy you don't want to follow him when he's using his 'cloak of invisibility'." Britanny warned with all seriousness. "He'll be back in a bit as he's almost as tough as me in that form."

I smiled a bit in pride that Britanny still believed in my abilities, and wasn't going ga-ga over Stripe when I wasn't there. But that passed as I climbed down the wall behind Penny and stalked up behind her. I retracted my wristblades and the very slight sound of the metal running past metal alerted my quarry to my presence. While this may at first seem like a novice hunter's mistake, it was a calculated move. As Penny turned to see what that noise was she lead with her right side and instantly I grabbed her weapon from her hands.

While still cocked and loaded, the crossbow was now far out of reach for Penny to grasp; seeming to float in midair.

"What kind of a…" Before the other archeologist could form a coherent sentence, I grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and lifted her up off the ground several feet. As she struggled, though really pointlessly, I just carried her off to where the other three members of my party were located.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Gina smiled smugly as she got a look at her long-time rival being held helpless in the air by the back of her shirt. "Doing some investigation of your own Penny?"

"Can it Gold Digger." Penny spat back, almost literally. "I don't know how you were able to discover me or what kind of magnetic lifting device or invisible robot you are using, but I know you are somehow responsible for this mess."

"Prince Stripe may I introduce my main rival in the field of archeology and exploration, Penny Pincher." Gina said as she fell into that arrogant state of hers where she believes nothing bad will happen because of her actions. That gal just doesn't seem to want to learn.

"It's Penny Pincer you Gold Digger, now why don't you let me down already?" The irate female in my grasp still hadn't figured out Gina had no control over what was about to happen to her, but such was a temporary situation.

"Take it easy Penny, look we could use your help here as Stripe's people are cursed into stone statues and we need to find a way of using a magic gem Gina has to free them all. So are you willing to help?" Britanny asked the woman staring her face to face.

"Okay fine I'll help, just put me down." Penny's reply was matched with her completely relaxing the tension in her shoulders and back.

"Okay Alex she's one of us so you can let her go." I dropped the field of invisibility and Penny finally got a good look at who and what she had been at the mercy of these last few minutes. Her response was the exact one I expected.

"Jesu…" And I dropped her on her bottom, but only so much as to stop her current statement. "What was that for?"

"Don't worry about it, so you really into helping here?" Britanny asked as I handed Penny back her weapon, sans bolt though.

"Fine. But this big lug and I are going to have some choice words after this. And that shape-shifting or no shape shifting I will get you back for dropping me on my butt." Penny's verbal threat was combined with sticking the crossbow under my helmet near the jawline. I just held up the arrow bolt as she took a look seeing her weapon was now more or less useless. "Okay maybe we can forget this whole thing then."

I nodded as I handed her back her projectile with the arrow-head pointing towards me. Penny took back her weapon with an uneasy expression on her face and her body looking like she had a serious case of the willies.

This was not the first time Penny and I didn't get along dear reader, in fact we ran into eachother shortly before the trip to South America started.

*Flashback*

The day after the first attempt to use Gina's Bacta tank thing to get an details scan of me and my alternate forms, which was forever called the "lab incident" and never talked about again but suffice to say that when you try to open up a newly discovered weapon's space portal and find one's cat while in a tub of nutrient rich fluid it's not going to be a pretty sight, I was finding that there was not a whole lot for me to actually do at the Diggers mansion.

After I spent hours drying Lily (and bandaging my chest), cleaning up the gallons of liquid on the floor of Gina's cave, and tried to introduce Lily to her new (hopefully temporary) home, I went through what was starting to be a normal schedule. It began some very early morning work-outs with Julia (having demonstrated the abilities of Batman and Terry Bogart), followed by assisting Dr. Diggers in some sort of mystic research as Dr. Strange, but there wasn't a lot for *me* to do after that and it was still morning.

Gina was busy repairing her lab and going over research, Brianna trying out a new plasma weapon system from the illustrious Tony Stark (or rather me as Iron Man but you understand), and it was about time that Britanny was going to go on her run, so I was stuck trying to figure out what to do. It was most likely insanity, or maybe I was a little "twitterpatted", which caused me to find the lovely lycan and ask her the dumbest thing a normal human…okay second dumbest thing a normal human can ask her.

"You and me on a run?" The lovely and very tall Cheetah lady asked me in a fit of giggles. "Look cutie, you may have the ability to use the power of the gods, and a few other awesome guys, but there is no way that this gorgeous cheetah is going to race with you."

"And may I ask why that is?" I hate running. I honestly freaking hate running. I will sprint for a bit, walk for several hours, but I absolutely have always hated long distance running as it always hurt my teeth and I was never good at it. So why do you ask that I would volunteer to run with someone like Britanny who lives for speed? Take a second look and ask yourself that question again.

"Well for starters I can tell you don't have a runners build, and secondly no human alive can keep up with me." Britanny said this while arching her back a bit and thrusting her thumb at herself is a display of pure machoness. If there is one thing one should never do with Britanny Diggers it is to belittle her fashion sense or her speed. The former I would never do, but I was seriously going to be doing the later just to see how she would react.

"Is that a challenge?" I asked as I looked her right in the eyes and smirked at her as cocky as I could be.

The way Britanny's ears perked up and the edges of her mouth formed a sinister smile combined with the shift in her voice made me seriously reconsider what I asked to do. "Oh sugar you better believe it is."

Before I knew what was going on I was yanked outside with so much force that my boots never touched the ground till I was set onto the asphalt. And yes I mean set as I was lifted up and physically set in place by Britanny and she did so in a rather painful manner as I was still wearing the same boots I had on to begin with.

In case anyone has never worn cowboy boots, specifically actual riding boots, they have a similar arch to them as a woman's high-heel which forms the notch that catches the stirrup while riding. So when I was set in place, I landed hard on my heels wearing boots with no absorption to shock. In other words I was gritting my teeth for a moment.

"What? Don't tell me I'm squeezing you too hard." My very muscular female companion teased me.

"No, but my ankles would appreciate not being slammed into the ground like tent stakes." I laughed back at her.

"If you only have those boots then I don't think that you should be trying to run with me in the first place cutie. I would love to go running with you but really there is no way that you can keep up with me so maybe we can find something else fun to do when I get back?" She tickled my whiskers playfully, toying with me very much like her cat nature to do so.

"Sounds fantastic." I was barely able to enunciate that as I was transfixed on the most wondrous reflective green eyes on earth and I'm an everyday sucker for green eyes.

"Good." Her smile was the nicest I had ever seen and as twittled her fingers in a wave and was about to head out for her run.

It took me a good 30 seconds to bring myself together, and since Britanny was out of sight in about 5 that's saying something. "Awe man…dumb dumb dumb. I am so freaking dumb." I shook my head and slapped my hand over my face.

"Well I was going to say that myself, but since you already did I'm not going to." Gina chuckled behind me. She looked like she was going out on another expedition with her Daisy Duke shorts, green T-shirt, and broad brim hat.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I shot her as menacing a glare as I could at the brainiest of the sisters.

"Oh you have no idea." Gina smiled. "Britanny hasn't been like this in forever loverboy so I'm going to be needling you and her every moment possible."

"As if my sister wasn't bad enough when I was a kid." I thought to myself, but in this case Gina wasn't someone who would be able to get away with teasing me like crazy and I had a few ideas of my own if needed.

"You know Gina, sisterly teasing may be a requirement for the position but since we aren't related I don't think I will be putting up with it as well as Britanny does."

"Well I don't care how well you put up with it mister, it's just going to happen." Gina then walked up to me and pressed her finger into my chest. "And there is not a darn thing you can do about it." Oh that smug smile and over the top arrogant attitude was classic Gina, and boy was this is too good to pass up.

"Oh now I wouldn't say that…." Gina was wondering what in the hell I was talking about as she felt her finger move with my shifting body. Before she could figure out who I had decided to turn into, a crimson blur whizzed around her with great speed. Before Gina knew what was going on, she found herself pulled up into a low pressure vortex only to find herself fall flat on her bottom.

"Have to be pretty fast to keep up with the Flash there cute stuff." It was only then that Gina got a good look at who I had used on her. Dressed from head to toe in a tight red garment with a lightning bolt in the center of my chest and similar bolts on the side of my head, I was the most peculiar dressed individual Gina had ever seen, still didn't stop her razor sharp wit though.

"The 'Flash' huh? With a name like that I half expected you to be naked." Yep completely unfazed by my attempt to catch her off her feet, that's Gina.

"No that's the streak, but glad you like Ray Stevens." I would have stayed longer, but I had to catch up to Britanny before she was done with her run. I waved bye to Gina as I raced towards my intended other. I wonder if Gina realized what I had done as a practical joke to her, and what she was going to do to me in return.

Such thoughts I put aside as I raced faster than I ever thought I could move. Dodging cars and the occasional pedestrian I was able to easily catch up to the racing female I had my eyes on.

"Well hey there beautiful." I said as I pulled up beside her and effortlessly kept pace with her stride. "Fancy meeting you here."

The look on Britanny's face was priceless. Just the complete and utter shock that someone was able to keep up with her and it wasn't Brianna was probably astounding.

"Uh hi." Britanny said as she gave me a once over and waved politely.

"Would you mind if we ran together for a bit?" I asked as she was still not sure how to react to me.

"Uh okay; just don't make any suggestions Red Lightning cause I'm not interested and already have someone extra special in my life and no matter how fast you can run that's a race you will always loose."

I was disheartened for a bit after hearing that, till I realized Britanny hadn't a clue who I was. The other thing I noticed was that I was running over 100 miles per hour and wasn't even feeling it. Well I felt some wind rush by me and such, but I wasn't even feeling the least bit tired. I felt as if I could continue this pace for eternity if I wished. Thank you speedforce…or whatever other lame title that DC was calling it now. My only complaint is that I felt I was stuck in low gear.

"Well that's okay by me. So who is this guy? Must be really something to impress someone as awesome as you." So I was going to have my ego stroked for a while, could you blame me? Especially if it's being stroked by Cheetah Diggers?

"Darn tooting fella." Britanny smiled. "He's sort of a strange guy, but kind of cute." There was an obvious glow to Britanny's cheaks that her fur couldn't cover. "And he took on a firebreathing dragon by himself and beat the tar out of it with his bare hands so as far as I'm concerned he has earned unlimited brownie points."

I wanted to just keep my mouth shut, really I did, but Barry Allen is such a blabber mouth I couldn't help it.

"What's the conversation rate of brownie points to homemade cookies? I want to know because I still owe you a batch." I was stifling a giggle as I said so and passed a guy in a Ferrari like he was parked.

When Britanny heard what I said she immediately went stiff and hit the brakes. Like one of those old Bugs Bunny cartoons she stood there stiff for a second till a devilish grin graced her face.

"Awe nuts…." Yep I was going to pay for this somehow, even if I hadn't actually done anything wrong.

"Oh Alex wait up, your sweet loving Cheetah is looking to get you." Britanny's statement was made in a very similar fashion as a certain famous skunk too famous to name.

"Gotta catch me first." I smiled back just enjoying the game for what is was going to be. Yea most people would have fled in terror, but why? Britanny was annoyed at me but she wasn't going to do me any real harm. Besides, no werecheetah could keep up with the fastest man alive.

Britanny's grin was pure feral as she exploded at me like a freight train someone strapped a Titan class rocket to. So what does one do when a woman like Britanny starts running at you? Ask the Roadrunner how he deals with the Coyote.

"Beep beep." I joke back at her as I took off like a shot. Course I had no idea where I was going, how to get back to the Digger's residence, or how fast I was going, but hey I didn't care I was having too much fun.

"Come back here you reject from a Saturday morning cartoon show." Britanny cried out as she poured on the speed and tried to overtake me. I looked over my shoulder from time to time smirking at her while she called out pseudo-threatening expressions at me.

We continued our merry chase for who knows how long, but eventually I was completely turned around and just stopped and scratched my head.

"Now where exactly am I?" I asked as I moved my head all over in an attempt to find something familiar. This was not exactly a wise decision with a quick, determined, and very stealthy predator was after me. I found this out the hard way as I was tackled to the ground by someone far bigger than I was.

"Finally got you." An exhausted and very irate female voice said to me.

"Ah nuts." I started to run, but Britanny was just fast enough to grab my feet and I crashed into the ground.

"HA! Finally caught you you little imp." She smiled as she pulled me in a bear hug tight enough to hold me in place.

"Okay okay you got me." I said turning back into myself. "So now what?"

"Now? For having me chase your sorry buns halfway across the state of Georgia?" Britanny exacerbated. "Oh don't worry buddy the wrath of a werecheetah is not to be messed with so you will have your competence."

"Half way across the state? Wow I didn't realize we ran that far." Yep we were in the middle of nowhere Georgia probably a couple hundred miles from Atlanta.

"How freaking far can that red tight guy run?" Britanny said letting me go and looking around to see if she had any clue just where the heck we were.

"Well in the comics he has run from New York to Shanghai in about 1.0085 seconds." I said trying to remember when Flash raced against Superman and I thought that was right. Britanny's face just dropped at that.

"He ran from New York…across the country…across the ocean…and into Shanghai…"

"Yea…"

"AWESOME!" I was once more in the grasp of an overly affectionate and superstrong werecat. "You little guy are now going to be my special friend." I don't have to tell you just how mischievous her smile was.

"Okay…." I wasn't exactly sure how to reply so I was treading as if on thin ice.

"Yep, you are going to help me go beyond my current limitations by speed training me. Oh I just thought of something, with all your other characters you can become I bet there are some insanely awesome fighters that I can train against too." Her smile was over a mile wide at this point.

"I took on a dragon and you have doubts of be having the ability to become great fighters?"

"Oh I know that sweetie." She said posturing for a bit. "But I just realized that you probably have a variety of guys of different styles to try against. Think about it for a moment, I don't have to go too far out exotic locations to pit myself against the best of the best now. I can just have you do that nifty trick of yours and I can pit myself against probably a number of grandmasters."

"Did not expect that as a possibility." I replied turning my head and wondering just how it the heck I didn't come to that conclusion myself.

"Nobody expects the Cheetah Inquisition." Britanny said as she pointed her finger at me and was doing the worse British accent I ever heard. "My chief weapon is surprise and fear…"

"And nookie." I added just kidding.

"Oh come again." Well it was settled; I was going to be stuck as Britanny's new coach and 'special friend'. Not a bad thing, but I knew how physical Britanny was and that was nothing to how dedicated her mother was to the art. Yep I was going to be very busy keeping up with those to in martial arts.

"Well that was fun really. I haven't just run like that in, well ever." Cheetah smiled at me.

"Me neither. Now how are we going to get back?" I was scratching the back of my head as a small crowd was beginning to form around my friend and I. Apparently strange things were not as common where we were standing as they are in Atlanta.

"Hey you got us out here, you figure it out." Britanny teased me.

"You didn't have to chase me you know." I said heading for the nearest gas station.

"I'm a werecheetah pal, and as part cheetah I am very much a cat and as you should know as you own a cat…" While not as annoying as Gina's "professor" voice, the lovely werecat by my side's matter of factly manner was becoming a pain.

"Cat's love to chase things. Got it." Looking around the station I found what I was looking for and pulled up the folded piece of paper. "Here Cheetah hold this." I said handing her the free pamphlet.

"Why do you need me to hold a road map?" Cheetah asked as we left the gas station with the crowd getting larger. I didn't answer my friend but instead went to implement my plan. Since I had gotten us into this mess I figured Brit was right and I should get us out.

I focused on one of my more ostentatious characters and felt my skin changed from living tissue to cold shiny metal. My feet shifted into wheels and my height shot up above Cheetah's head by a good measure. Britanny's intense stare at me was coupled by a sense of wonder as she took a look at my new forms sharp angles and very reflective personality. Sharp blades on my forearm and the bouncing hydraulics made me look like I was begging for someone to start something.

"Now good looking you're going to love this." I smile as my now silver colored surface sparkled candy apple red. Thank you very much G1 colors and DLC.

"Hem…like the color, but how exactly are you going to get us home Mr…" My lovely female companion asked as she gave me a once over followed by a full walk around.

"Sideswipe there Cheets." My new voice was energetic and brash, but still very playful. "And if you though ol' Ironhide was the only Autobot on my list, just watch this." I spun around on my two wheeled feet and shifted my arms and head so that now instead of a tall super cool robot standing by cheetah's side there was a brand new bright red Corvette Stingray.

"Well what are you waiting for sweetheart?" I joked at her as I popped the passenger side door open. "I'm not going anywhere without you."

"Oh how can a lady refuse such a polite offer?" Cheetah smiled and climbed in. "Kind of a tight fit, but I'll manage. Nice seats by the way."

As Britanny buckled her seatbelt she was surprised when the door shut by itself and a blue flickering hologram of myself appeared in the driver's seat. I manipulated the image to turn and smirk at my accomplice.

"Now that is just showing off." My spotted friend chided me while folding her arms under her chest.

"Like you wouldn't?" I engaged my clutch, shifted gears, and revved my engine before taking off like a shot to the interstate.

"Darn right I would hot stuff. Now let's blow this pop stand."

Britanny's euphoria was short lived after she found out she was going to have to act as my navigator. It was then I found out that she's not too good at reading maps. Thankfully being completely lost does have its advantages and we were likely going to be stuck together for a while. Inevitably we started to talk to pass the time and something important came up. A promise I had made a few days ago I was going to be called to fulfill.

"Hey Alex, you remember that conversation we had in Dreadwing's cave?" She asked me as she attempted to find just where the heck we were while I was dealing with the confusing mess of traffic that had picked up.

"I remember a lot of things, but if you want me to keep my attention on the road you need to be specific." I smile at her through the hologram. My attempt at a joke didn't really work so it was clear she was being serious.

"The one about helping me find any remaining members of my family, my biological family I mean." She sighed going deep into thought.

"Ah that one. Yes I remember and you have my word that I will help you locate any remaining werecheetahs." I said while shifting gears and changing lanes and wishing that I was back west in Montana where there isn't a speed limit during fair weather conditions. I wanted to just tear up the road right now, and that's not surprising since I was in the form of Sideswipe.

"Well…after I am able to pay off my credit card bills, could we take a trip to Africa or something? I've been thinking and was wondering if any of your alternate forms would be able to do some sort of worldwide scan or something…just been thinking a lot about it after you talked about Cerebro and Professor Xavier."

To call Britanny Diggers weak would be the biggest load of overused motoroil on the planet. She also didn't wear her heart on the end of her sleeves so if something was tearing her up inside then it was a real problem. Well darn tooting I'd help.

"I have no doubts I could build a Cerebro unit if needed to help, or think of something else to find something to go off of to find any remaining werecheetahs that may be out there." I said which really brightened her expression a bit, till she asked the obvious follow-up question.

"Alex, I may not be a genius like Gina or such, but I've watched all the crazy sci-fi movies and shows about time travel and all that jazz so I know what knowing about the future may cause, but…."

"But?" I asked her to continue her thought.

"But are there any other werecheetahs to find?" Damn she was sharp, sharper than I thought she would be. Yea I was thinking that Britanny was mostly a fashion obsessed, sexed-up, kick-ass fighting woman, but I had completely forgotten how just plain smart she could be.

"You want the truth in all its gory details?" I ask her wanting to make sure she knew I could tell her, but it was her choice to know.

"My dad, Dr. Diggers told me a lot as is, but I bet you have even more insight on what actually happened." Britanny paused for a second. "But at the same time I bet that you know a lot that would seriously mess up things if shared too soon."

"Dang you have put a lot of thought into this Cheetah." I was impressed, but probably shouldn't have been since Britanny had a ton of common sense compared to Gina or such. "So tell or no tell?"

"I've wanted to know this for as long as I've known about the massacre….so tell." Britanny's conviction was impressive so I had to oblige.

"Okay. Britanny in the entire run of the comic there has only been three other werecheetahs that I know of who have appeared." She immediately perked up at this.

"There are more of my kind out there? Oh Alex thank you for…"

"Now wait just a moment my high performance feline friend." I stopped her. "I hate to rain on your parade but none of them are survivors of Brendan's betrayal. As much as I hate to tell you right now you are probably the only werecheetah alive on this planet."

"I was afraid you were going to say that. But at least you were honest with me enough to say it rather than sugar coating it. I hate it when people try that and it bugs me like crazy." Britanny's attention went from me to the window at this point as she noticed the passing trees and such.

"I may have sleek lines and awesome style, but only Ironhide is a more brutally honest Autobot." I tell her as she thought for a bit. "Then again I said you're probably the only one as I was shocked to see Brianna was around at this point."

"I'm not following you." This had caught Britanny's attention and she focused once more on me.

"Well in the comics Brianna didn't exist till long after you and your sister kicked Dreadwing's butt. The fact that you have been to that cursed treasure and Genn and Brianna being part of your family before Tark and Mesha means that some things alter from the comics." I'm a bit of a blabbermouth as well as a geek, but the conversation was nice.

"So you don't know everything huh?" Britanny joked. "And for all you know there may be many more werecheetahs out there just waiting to be found and you are going to stay by my side and help me find them if they exist. And since you've promised to help me I guess you are going to be stuck on all the various adventures I get pulled into."

"Sounds fun. Just don't do something crazy and mindlessly barge into danger and just expect me to swoop in and save your cute toosh every time."

"Are you saying that I need rescuing buddy?" Britanny growled at me in fury, or furry as the case may be. Her claws were beginning to tear into my apaulstry and sting like crazy.

"No way hot stuff." Thank you superfast processors for this save. "Gina seems to get into more trouble than she should and I'm guessing because you always have her back and it would be a crime bordering on sin for a fellow speedster like you to become that lame."

"Oh please, you're full of it pal." She chuckled at me and then rubbed her tummy. "Speaking of which, I'm running on empty so next exit with food I need you to get us something to eat."

"Us? Who exactly are you expecting to pay for this meal lady?"

"Well you of course. Afterall a gentleman always pays for the meal does he not?" Yep fast with her mind as she is with her feet.

"Slag…okay fine just pick a place that sounds good to you and I'll foot the bill." I grumbled as I hit traffic again. "Man I freaking hate cities."

"Why's that? They've got all the great things of society; malls, restaurants, malls, department stores…" Cheetah's eyes glistened at this and her smirk twisted in a manner which reminded me of a certain green furred foe of Christmas.

"Oh no. No way Cheetah. I am going to pay for lunch but I am not going to treat you to the mall as well. I can't afford that." Hey I still hadn't collected my pay from the job we got back from.

"Awe come on, pleeeeeaasseee…." Britanny begged me with big doe eyes, toothy smile, and her fingers in a praying motion.

"No way. I know how you get when going to the mall and there is no way that I am going to be able to fit all of the stuff you buy for yourself in my trunk."

"B.S. pal just use another guy then. Besides it's not for me, but you. Now I've been nice and asked, before I put my foot down and tear off your door and carry you over my head to the mall you will change course and head right to the freaking food court at the Atlanta mall immediately."

"Yes ma'am." Discretion is the better part of valor sometimes and a hungry werecat is a easily angered werecat. I figured once I got food in her Brit would be more civil. My cat numing my hand for dinner was one thing, but I didn't want to think of what Britanny would do

"That's what I thought you were going to say. Now my cheetah sense is telling me that we are about 45 minutes from a great shopping center." For some reason known only to her, Britanny pointed straight ahead as if that was actually going to do anything.

"Okay…." I just ignored the strange antics of my passenger and decided that such would be a survival requirement for my sanity.

But wouldn't you know it, 45 minutes later I was pulling into the parking space of a particularly large and seemingly high-class mall.

"How did you slagging do that!" I asked her in shock as Britanny opened the door and strutted out of my passenger compartment. Like one of those cheesy scenes out of a movie, my very tall companion strutted out in a manner that drew attention to her very long legs, trim waste, and arched back and looked as if she was standing on her tip toes. Thing was I don't think she was consciously doing.

"Damn you look good." I just blurted out without any thought to what exactly I was going to say.

"I know." Britanny smiled as she turned her head slowly to face and did that weird thing where women run their hands through their hair while turned to face you with those doe eyes and pouty lips. If I had a face I would have gone completely derp face.

"So you just going to be staring at me or are you going to actually going to come in?" Oh man did Britanny know she had it.

I had to shake my processors for a moment as I shifted my body around and stood up.

"You know, you're really cute from this perspective." I joked at her before going back to being human again. Her reply was she poked me in the nose.

"If you think you are getting out of paying for lunch with flowering me with complements you got another thing coming little guy." Britanny joked with me as she grabbed my arm and yanked me inside the building. Her grin was two miles wide while she did so.

Since I hate shopping for clothes, you can understand that I was not looking forward to what was about to happen. It was only by good grace that Britanny's number two biggest love actually overcame her first and we were able to get something to eat before any really massive purchases.

"Something bothering you Alex?" Britanny happily asked as she happily tore into her very large tuna sandwhich. "You aren't eating that much."

"Just enjoying the company beautiful." I smile at her as I enjoyed my meal slightly less quickly as she was. "Besides I've been noticing we've got company behind you."

"Wha…." I was given the wonderful image of a half-chewed quarter of a tuna sub as Britanny turned around and her head darted about looking for who I was talking about.

"Well that's a delightful sight wouldn't you say?" a female voice joked as a young African American woman in an explorer outfit similar to Gina's walked up to us. Britanny had to remind herself to swallow before addressing our new guest.

"Well hey there Penny, how are you doing?"

"So far so good. Just heard from Ace that your sister got back from a big find in England and whom do I meet at the mall but you and someone fitting the general description of a guy who turns into a giant robot truck or some other nonsense."

"Well nice to meet you too." I shoot back at her deciding to focus on my lunch.

"Alex be nice." Britanny corrected me. "This is Penny Pincer, Gina's big rival in archeology and another sciency geeky things." This was said as a joke.

"Don't believe everything Gina tells you pal. I'm a much better treasure hunter than her. So what is this about you turning to a truck? You some sort of robotlycan?" Penny sat down next to us and gave me a once over.

"And hello my name is Alex how are you doing. Very good thank you very much. How's the weather we've been having…" I said to myself deliberately ignoring Penny's attention. She got angry while Britanny just chuckled.

"Hey pal I asked you a question here." Penny said getting into my face.

"Oh he knows. Alex just was trying to make a point." Britanny said. "And he's made it so you can stop." The force behind Britanny's voice made it clear on that point.

"Okay Cheetah I got it." I smiled and hold my hands up. "Anyway I'm Alex and I don't listen much to what Gina has to say about you as I can read the comics and make my own opinions of you and everyone else."

"What the heck is he talking about Brit?" Penny asked flabbergasted.

"Oh yea, apparently Alex is from a parallel dimension where we are a bunch of comic book characters with a movie he was watching and somehow he got pulled in through his games like some crack version of Tron." Britanny answered as she took another bite from her sandwich.

"Uh Brit are you on catnip or something? Because that is the dumbest…"

Comic book physics being what they are it came as no real surprise that it was that moment that something ruined a quite boring (or at least recoverable) afternoon. A store owner screamed as a bunch of teenagers started vomiting out of his store with high price stuff under their arms.

"What the hell is that?" Britanny asked as she caught sight of the same thing I did. Sadly it wasn't a mall cop or a couple of police having lunch stop a flash rob.

"Something that shouldn't start for another 15 years." I answered as I jumped out of my chair and changed in mid bound. Since Atlanta is used to crazy I didn't care if I was seen as no one would report it. Before anyone could see what the heck was happening very famous red and blue tights clad hero was in the mists of action. Nope not Superman, think invertebrate.

This was not what a lot of the punks were focused on though as I pressed my middle fingers into the palm of my hand and two huge webs blocked the main exit routes.

"What is going on now?" Penny wondered as Britanny raced after a number of the robbers and quickly subdued a good number of them.

"Just playing superhero here Penny, don't worry." Britanny smiled as she demonstrated why the idea of taking people's stuff was a very bad idea to two juvenile delinquents (or as I like to call them robbers). "Okay now I don't know what you two were thinking but didn't your mommas ever tell you stealing is wrong? Expecially in MY mall?"

It was later reported that both teens need a whole change of clothes when they were booked. Nobody cared but Britanny felt proud of it.

I was a little more focused on the particular youth trying to take off with a half dozen pairs of jeans. He tried jumping off the rotunda into the ornate fountain below. The moron was either a movie junky or bucking for the Darwin awards but I wasn't going to let him kill himself so…

TWIP

"Man what the hell?" As he hung there in midair he saw his bag dangling from one thread just out of his reach.

"I wouldn't worry about getting down if I were you since your face and concrete insolation don't go well together from a thirty foot fall." I piped in hanging upside down in his face.

"YEA WHAT THE F**K!" He went for his pockets to grab something, but found his hands now trapped there.

"Don't worry about falling though. Spidersilk has a tensile strength 10 times that of steel cable so you'll just be here for the cops to take care of."

I swung back and forth for a moment to build up momentum and then released in mid-ark up into the air, thrust my hand out, shot another webline, grabbed a female crook with several purses, pulled her into my arms, tossed her into the air, and shot two streams of webbing from my wrists catching her on the ceiling. I then caught the bags before they hit the ground and hung them from another bit of webbing so no one got any bright ideas of stealing them.

Britanny had given up on the two youths she first apprehended and tackled three others that had who knows how many leather goods. The hypersonic fem friend of mine would have made the Justice League proud as she first overshot them, grabbed the belts in their arms, then proceeded to race around the three connecting the belts together so that the assailants were now bound together in a proceeding succession of tight fitting leather binding.

"All wrapped up like a nice Christmas gift for the police." Britanny smiled at her own work and the dwindling number of badguys. "Now where is the rest of your posse?"

While my lycan friend was busy looking for another punk to chase, I stumbled on the last of them trying to escape out an emergency fire exit. An emergency fire exit now held in place by a few well- placed globs of silk.

"What the f**k is this s**t?" One of the more uncouth of them blurted out trying to rip the door off its hindges, only to find his mouth instantly covered in a very strong single layer of sticky silk.

"Silk not scat, but since you don't seem to care much for manners or the rights of people's property I don't think you would care much for your own education. You probably should look into that." Parker's personality was really rubbing off on me, but the guy's wit just made it too easy with these punks. The strange thing was the way I was sitting more than anything else as the classic Spider-Man squat just felt natural at this point.

"No way some cheap a*s spandex wearing bug guy is going to send me to jail." Another one of the remaining four said pulling out a switchblade knife. Before his hand even moved to the blade, my spidersense flared like crazy.

The kid charged at me with extreme recklessness and slashed at me wildly. I dodged his poorly attempted strikes without much effort and quickly side-stepped, grabbed his wrist, twisted, and dropped him to his knees. In one fluid motion I had stopped the kid cold and webbed his wrists together before cocooning him.

"Okay now how about you three make this easy on yourselves and just surrender. I'm sure that it will go a lot easier for you if you do and you've seen that you aren't going to win if you fight me." I gave them the chance, I really did. But darn it some people just don't listen.

"You know, you're right." One finally said as he tensed his arms. "I don't think that I could fight you, but I'm not going to do something stupid like turn myself in when I can just outrun your sorry…ass…"

The twit threw his ill-gotten gains at me and the two others with him followed his example. He thought that he would be able to loose me in the confusion of cloths and electronics. They thought that they would escape to robe someone else. They thought WRONG. Spider sense and reflexes against three teenagers loaded on unhealthy snacks and sodas? Who do you think would win? They didn't even have time to turn their heads as I was standing behind them.

One did try to throw a punch, but one quick light jab in the diaphragm knocked the wind right out of him. He didn't offer much resistance as I globed him in a thin layer of spiderwebbing to hold him there. The other two didn't learn, but did run. Sadly in opposite directions so I choose one and bounced off the walls at him with speed he couldn't dream. The world was in superslow motion as I grabbed the thug by the scruff of his neck, lifted him up off the ground, and just webbed him to the wall.

"Let me go man. You ain't got no right to do this to me." His struggles only made it worse as I shook my head.

"Wow your grasp jurisprudence is as limited as your understanding of English syntax. Try opening a book sometime." I would have corrected him further, but I had other fish to fry. I didn't even care what he said afterwards, as that one last guy had to be stopped. I may never have had an Uncle Ben, but I wasn't going to let someone become one.

I jumped into the air again and bounced and bounded from ceiling, to wall, to floor, all in an attempt to find that last little pain in the spinneret. Sadly I had lost him in the crowd. I had hoped that Britanny had found him, stopped him.

"Hey Cheetah where are you?" I called out trying to see where she was over the running people that were not used to a guy in a pair of long-johns stopping crime with string shooting out of his wrists.

"You called?" I heard a familiar female voice say as she instantly was behind me.

"Talk about instant response." I smiled, but wasn't a complete one. "Did you see where that last one got off to?"

"Sorry there Bugboy, but looks like she got away." Britanny sighed as she tried to hear her out or smell her. With as little time as Britanny got wind of those thugs I wasn't surprised that the last one was able to disappear without a trace.

"It's Spider-Man, but we can deal with that later." I jumped to the ceiling and crawled along it trying to get a glimpse of someone running or something to get a heads up. It sadly looked like a lost cause. I dropped to the floor and just stood there wondering what the heck to do.

"Hey sugar you did what you could." Britanny said placing her hand on my shoulder and trying to reassure me. "You stopped a robbery dead in its tracks and saved someone's livelihood. I don't think that even Danni would be able to have done better."

Britanny was right. I did all I really could do. Real life and comics don't often match, not even in a world that was a comic book. Thankfully someone was looking out for me that day and as I was about to go for a phone…

"I wouldn't get too worried there Mr. Superhero, cause the lady is right." Wondering who just said that Britanny and I saw a member of Atlanta's finest walk up to us with a smile on his face.

"Thank you officer, but really it was nothing." I said, not sure if this was going to play out like DC or Ultimate Marvel, or who knows what.

"I wouldn't say that son. You and your lady friend just stopped a spontaneous robbery, caught most of the little punks responsible, and were able to collect all the merchandise. I don't know why you're in town but I for one am glad to have you." He offered his hand and I shook it. "And thanks to you two these kids are going to learn a valuable lesson in law, order, and how crime doesn't pay."

"Officer I'm just trying to help. I don't want to step on any toes or you doing your job. I'm just a guy doing what's right." I will remember that smile on that man's face for the rest of my life. As I stopped shaking his hand he said to me.

"Son, I wish more people were like that. This world would be a heck of a lot better if that was the case. In any event there are a few delinquents that need to be processed. Including one we caught at the front door."

"What the h*l is wrong with you dawg." The punk on the floor spat at me figuratively and literally. "You may think you are cool with that suit and powers, but you just another nobody working for the man."

"If that man is with a capital M and the one upstairs that's good enough for me." The youth in question had no clue what I just said and spouted a prolonged series of insults against me, Britanny, and everyone else in ear shot. Britanny was going to smack him, I just splatted him in the mouth with a glob of webbing.

"Anything else I can do for you officer?" I asked about to leave.

"Just one thing; the exits you blocked with this gunk, how do you get rid of it?"

"Spider silk may not burn, but it shrivels like crazy when exposed to heat so just get a bunch of hairdryers or cigarette lighters will take care of it." I jumped in the air and escaped into one of the mall's service halls and wall crawled on the ceiling to an empty bathroom. Shifting back into my normal form, I just walked out. Thankfully this was still the nineties and security cameras were nonexistent here and I was easily able to avoid detection.

If you are wondering why I even bothered to try to go through the process of hiding my identity and such it has to do with the fact I had no desire to answer a whole lot of questions, deal with hero worship, or whatever else may come from what I did. I have no idea how they always escape in the comics, but this seemed like at least a potentially good idea, course changing from robot to person in broad daylight wasn't a good idea but I hadn't just played the hero then either. So yea ducking for cover and not letting people know who and what you are is a good thing as all superheroes that have gone public have seriously messed up lives.

"Now to find Britanny and skedaddle before any more craziness happens." I really hadn't a clue where the heck I was going but I knew I had to find my friend, get our stuff, and book before anyone noticed. Okay so jumping in to play hero in a crowded mall was stupid but really could I have just stayed by and not helped?

Thankfully all malls come with these hand little maps that tell you exactly where you are, if you can find the darn things. So what exactly did I decide to do in this situation? Just head back towards the open area and look to find someone who knew where the food court was. Logical, but had to remember than Britanny was also looking for me and no idea whether or not she had lost me or not. These worries and plans lasted about as long as cans of white albacore last around Britanny and Brianna as I had forgotten something rather important…

"Well there you are." Britanny said as she caught me before I even left the access area. "I thought I smelled you head this way. Nice attempt with the ditch and change, but you weren't too stealthy for me to follow."

Yep there was the wonderful lady on my mind with a big grin on her face and her tail riding high.

"Cheetah, do you know how impossibly wonderful and infuriating you are sometimes?" I ask her just shaking my head.

"I'm a were-cat cute stuff, it's part of my job." Cheetah answered as she led me along a pathway with no cameras, people, or any real signs.

"Uh Cheetah, where are we going?" I asked as I was almost dragged along through the concrete labyrinth. I could not believe such an odd-ball pathway existed, nor that security could be so lax here that a mall would even allow such a route to exist.

"Back to the food-court, and hopefully our stuff. See pal I did the whole super-hero thing back in high-school and they never bothered to fix the holes in their security system here." My furry friend's confusing and seemingly convoluted path was as crazy as it was brilliant. Though the mall had been engineered with some level of reason, I saw that compounding on layer and layer of reasoning without extended thought and re-engineering without double-checking previous security measures gave rise to a possible pathway where we could make our way back to our stuff without there being a clue we had done so.

"You wouldn't happen to be friends with a Selena Kyle would you?" I asked as Britanny made good on her word and we were back at the table were we had seen the youths attempt to flee with their ill-gotten gain.

"No I don't think so, just some ninja things mom taught me that Grandpa taught her." My lycan lady said as she and I found Penny was waiting for us there at the table.

"Well took you all long enough. Where in the world did you go?" Penny was fuming as we returned to our seats, found our food had gone bad, and decided to just get another serving (with me now paying for two ladies' meals).

"Sorry Penny that's a secret." Cheetah smiled as she sat down and enjoyed her fresh tuna sub. "Have to be a member of the super-hero club to know about it, and sadly you aren't so…"

"You know I would say bite me to that, but with you being a werecheetah there Britanny…" Penny joked as she sipped her soda. "But that doesn't excuse this guy from going into details as to what that was all about with the guy in spandex."

Penny Pincer may be a great archeologist, but her manners leave a lot to be desired. I am the first to admit I am stubborn as a mule, blunt, very politically incorrect, and don't sugar coat things, but there is a great difference between bluntness and rudeness.

"Ms Pincer, I answer questions about myself that Britanny asks because she is my friend. I answer questions asked by Gina because I am a guest at her parent's home and that is my version of paying the rent. I also answer questions asked of me by Brianna as she is also my friend and potential business partner. You on the other hand I have never met before and I don't owe you an answer to what just happened." I almost barked back.

"Alex please." Britanny said as she continued eating. "Now I know that Penny can be very focused on learning but there is no reason to yell at her."

"I'm sorry just I've been poked and prodded and asked 20 questions from the moment I set foot in your home and I was looking forward to spending some time away from that with you Cheetah." I smiled as I focused more on the taller woman sitting with us. "Instead…"

"Instead you had me chase you across the state, drive me to my favorite mall as futuristic red corvette, went shopping with me, and then we got to play super-hero." Britanny joked as she poked me in the nose. "So just because you have to put up with another super genus pestering you with questions, doesn't mean you aren't going to have to give up on spending some time with me babe."

"Fine, but if you try to draw blood or put me one of those annoying bacta tanks Penny I shall introduce you to the Hulk." I say as I start to tell my story yet again for what was likely the fourth or fifth time in under that many days.

*End Flashback*

"Well looks like we've got a fifth member to this little rescue party." Gina said, abet a bit unhappy about it.

"Yes, but please let us hurry as we have wasted too much time." Stripe took the lead with Britanny behind him. Gina and Penny found themselves in the middle of the formation and I took the rear yet again. Since Stripe knew where he was going it made sense for him to take lead and without significant light Britanny was his navigator.

Soon we found ourselves standing around a large circular opening at the top of the throne room. Our chief opponent was there with an assortment of cursed kryn and an amassed armament of magical artifacts.

"Dang, Bri are you seeing this?" Gina asked into the little device still attached to her ear. "Yea I know there is a serious amount of power in this place so looks like we got ourselves the main baddie. Hey Alex do you know who this guy is?"

I indicated yes as I tried to keep everyone quite so we could hear what was going on.

"The prince and his new allies have eluded us Lord Gyphon." One of the still cursed of Stripe's people said groveling before his master.

"Silence." Gyphon boomed in anger. "I know that they have escaped you fools. These unexpected allies of the prince should have been no problem to you but it seems as if I am surrounded by useless imbecilic wretches."

"So looks like you four have been busy lately." Penny joked as she took aim with her weapon.

"Alex I know that I shouldn't have to ask you this, but do you think you could get behind Gyphon and take him out of commission?" Stripe asked me as he gripped the weapon he had borrowed from me in his fist. "I know I have no right to ask you, but your display of stealth may be exactly what we need as if we can eliminate his concentration he will be unable to cast spells on us."

It seemed as if Stripe was using that head of his to good use and I used my cloaking device again to seemingly disappear into the shadows. I dropped slowly into the open airway and hand-over-hand made my way carefully to the edges of the room. With remarkable physical skill and almost impossible grace I was able to not only avoid detection, but also palm a couple of flash-bangs on the sides of the wall to help if we really needed to blind this guy.

I was almost in range to do Gyphon in when…

"So you are are the one who has been able to prevent my total victory against my most accursed enemies the Kryn." I didn't know how he was able to notice me, but as I was blasted with an electrical discharge from Gyphon's hands I really didn't care. Good thing it didn't do anything more than recharge my batteries due to my alien physiology.

"ALEX!" Britanny cried from above.

"Well looks like shit's hit the fan now." Penny commented as Stripe and Britanny dove into the room. As Penny was about to do the same, Gina stopped her.

"Hold up a second Penny, I have an idea." The blonde's voice was barely audible to me as I was getting up from being blasted by the psychotic villain.

"So tell me what reason do you have for allying yourself with the prince? Or are you just some sort of savage beast which is thrall to the lycan female?" My response was simple and direct. I extended my wrist-blades and did a mock charge at Gyphon hoping to duck under him and gut him quickly.

"Damn how many of these things does he have Stripe?" Britanny yelled out as she smashed rock kryn after rock kryn.

"Sadly for our current situation, my city's populous was in the thousands." Stripe answered as he smashed one of his former subjects in the head with the side of the combestick while impaling another in the guts. "I fear that we aren't going to be able to hold off much longer.

My mock charge didn't work out as well as I had hoped, and Gyphon proved to be quite adept at close-range combat as I was never able to get close enough to tear out his entrails. Thankfully he still hadn't figured out that electricity wasn't actually harming me, so we were in a stalemate. This wasn't something that I could keep up as we would eventually be overwhelmed just by sheer number of minions so I pressed the detonate button on my left forearm.

Instantly the room was alight with a bright flare and a loud boom which caused Gyphon to completely lose his concentration and I blindly lunched hoping to tackle him. Really freaking stupid move. While I had activated the flash-bangs Gina had swung in on the curtain and kicked me hard enough in the back that I landed face-first into the ground.

I shook my head a few times only to discover Gyphon had recovered first and he took that advantage to blast me in the head damaging my visor. I was again stunned as another mystic bolt smashed right into my face. I couldn't see anything except a loud "error" message and so I popped the airlines and chucked the helmet at Gyphon.

"What the hell are you?..." He said in shock, getting his first look at the pointed teeth and sunk-in yellow eyes of a Yatja.

"What the hell…" I repeated as I roared my battle cry and laid one punch right to Gyphon's temple. I wished I had made sure I was actually using my wrist-blades, but no time to waste on what-ifs as I was still in combat for not only my life, but the lives of thousands of others.

"So demon, you wish to continue this…" Gyphon's mystic nature apparently made him a lot tougher than he looked. "You may be hard to defeat, but now the wars between the kyrn and the Lords of Atlantis will finally be finished as the prince is here and my victory is soon to be complete."

"Victory pal? Get a grip we're kicking your butt here." Britanny said as she took out more of the kryn under Gyphon's command.

"Perhaps lycan, perhaps not." With seemingly great effort Gyphon unleashed another bolt of energy, but this time I was knocked to my knees in pain. "For you see I finally think I have figured how my attacks would not hurt your friend. Electricity may power him, but magnetism seems to weaken him."

It was as if all my muscles just died on me. I couldn't even hold my Predator form as I coughed and gagged.

"Jinkies." Gina said, fiddling with her shield generator and trying to prevent Penny from robbing the kryn treasures.

"Alex?" Britanny said as she looked at me slowly coming to my senses again. "You bastard, I'll tear your limbs off."

"Cheetah wait please I need your assistance." Stripe asked as he found his weapon had disappeared along with my shapeshifting. "We will help Alex together."

"No I don't think you…AAAAHHH SHIT!" Gyphon yelled as I jabbed him hard between the legs with my pocket knife. I knew he was somewhat fish in nature, but I was betting that I would still hit some sort of major blood-path in his limbs. "You dare to strike me, prepare yourself for Purgatory!"

The mad Atlantian grabbed me by the throat as I was finally recovering from his assault. As I got a good look at his face all I could think of was how much I wanted to "clobber" him. I took a wild chance yet again as I choose a familiar character that may just have given me enough of an edge here.

"Well it seems as if your friend is even more susceptible to my spells than your own people prince." Gyphon gloated as he pulled my knife out of his leg. "Now my minion, kill these former allies of yours."

"I ain't kill'n nothing pal. But you ain't gonna like your face in the morn'. IT'S CLOBBER'N TIME!" Yep what the Atlantian thought was another stone cursed minion was actually still me, but as the ever-lovin' blue eyed Thing of the Fantastic Four. I landed two solid punches right to the fish-faced kisser of his and wound up busting the crown a bit in the process.

"Kick his ass Alex." Britanny smiled as she continued to help Stripe and Gina keep the bad-guys of stone off my back.

"You kidd'n this guy ain't nothing to the punks I deal with on Yancy St." I joke back as I started seriously smashing the guy up. "Hey Stripey pants, want me to save a piece of this guy for ya?" I call back to Stripe as he narrowly was able to avoid being sliced by his former friends.

"No need to think of my personal gratification or vendetta my friend, but we need to end this fight before we get completely overwhelmed." Yea the guy was a class act, and for all purposes a damn good leader. Too bad we had to cut this fight short because I seriously think Stripe wanted to tag-team this joker.

"I agree, what this place needs is a change in attitude." Gina yelled holding up the Gem of Returning, and yet again blinding everyone. "Whoa! This trinket didn't do that before…this place must have high concentration of magical energy or something!"

"Next time you pull a stunt like that Gold Digger, warn me to put on my super-nova blocking shades." Penny complained aloud.

"Boy you and strecho lady…" I said rubbing my own eyes with my stony hands.

"So where's that spell-casting son-of-a-b**ch?" Britanny yelled as she took a look and a very busted up fish-person.

"So you think you can defeat me once and for all? Fools." Gyphon said as he stammered to his feet, still looking like he got in an argument with a wrecking ball. "With the powers I wield, it would be a simple task to transform you back into my slaves."

"Yea yea whatever. You and old tin-face don't know when to shut your yap after you've got your keesters kicked." I smile as I slam my fists into my palms and turned on the shielding ability from Marvel Ultimate Alliance. "But I'm all about clobber'n you some more."

"You managed to stop Stripe before he could prevent you from taking over the City of Gold last time, but there's no way you can stop all of us. So give it up chump." Gina pointed at Gyphon as she looked in a state of complete disarray. Spunky little gal isn't she.

"C'mon. Say no. Please!" Britanny almost roared as she helped a few of the recovering, and very much flesh and bone, kryn to their feet.

"Hmm. Perhaps I have underestimated you and your new friends Stripe." Gyphon acknowledged as I was going to bust his teeth some more. "The next time we meet, I shall not make that mistake again. Until we meet again my friends." In a flash of brilliant radiation Gyphon dissipated casting some sort of teleportation spell.

"He's fading away." Gina noted in shock.

"HEY! He's taking the artifacts with him." Penny said as her greed was left unfulfilled.

"Never mind that junk. Stripe is hurt and I want to give you a look over too Alex." Britanny said as I went back to my usual self and was still a bit groggy on my feet. "Oh man are you two okay? I just feel awful about you both getting roughed up like that. I keep forgetting not everyone has inhuman regeneration like I do."

"You were not to blame Cheetah, but now we must determine what to do about Gyphon." Stripe was a little banged up, but not too badly. Looked like he had been through a bar-room brawl so he should be fine, but since the other kryn may have had long ranging problems from their time under the curse I figured I should do what I can to help patch everyone up. But first the room had to stop spinning.

"Scientist? Has Gyphon means to control the power of the artifacts he has stolen?" Stripe asked a senior looking gentleman as I sat down on the ground.

"Indeed he does. While we were enslaved he had many of our best engineers constructing a most horrid weapon." Was the reply the prince received.

"Then he means to use our artifacts to power this weapon." Stripe continued that train of thought as Britanny smiled sitting next to me and passing me her canteen. "He means either to give it to his masters, the Lords of Atlantis, or to use it to enslave them."

"Thanks Cheetah." I said taking a big swig of water. "I needed that."

"Oh hush you, and drink that slowly. I don't want you throwing up or somethin'." Britanny smiled as she kissed me on the cheek. "You may act like a jerk sometimes but you really do care about people."

"Whatever Gyphon's intentions, they mean doom for us and the outside world. You must go to Atlantis to stop him, but you have no way to get there in time!" I chuckled a bit as I rose to my feet and took another swig of water from Britanny's reserve.

"No way of getting there in time? Pal allow me to show you something." As my pink skin was replaced by a very reflective silver one, I stepped up on what appeared to be a surf board and summoned a great source of light that spread throughout the room. Instantly the wounds on Stripe, Gina, and Penny disappeared under the light of the Power Cosmic's rays. "There is very little I now consider impossible."

I let what I just did sink into the naysayers and awe-struck of the populous.

"What manner of being are you, are you some sort of a god?" The elder kryn asked in fear as he stepped away from me.

"Hold." Stripe said sternly. "This man may be very different from us, and able to become many frightening entities that I cannot even dream about, but he has proven himself a noble ally and a trusted friend. Not only were Gina and Cheetah pivotal in regaining our freedom and our city, but Alex helped me to reclaim my focus as a ruler who had lost his kingdom and his dignity. If not for all three of them I would still be wondering the jungle and you all slaves." Stripe then walked up to me man-to-man and looked me in the eyes.

"I know that I have already asked much of you, but I also know that while Gyphon may have access to information on humans and lycans it is very unlikely that he would have any idea about you or those who seem to so effortlessly shift into. If that is the case, would you be willing to continue to aid my people Alex? I would even be willing to pay if needed for your assistance."

Gina, Britanny, and Penny's eyes became about as big around as dinner-plates at that last comment. Me? I just smiled and closed my eyes in thought for a moment.

"Stripe what I am, and what I intent to be for better or worse is a super-hero. Helping people and stopping super-powered villains is something I do not for money but because it is right. That's all the reason I need to be of assistance." Definitely corny, but this time it was me saying it and not just playing Captain America or some other idealistic comic guy.

If I had been entrusted with these powers it was not to use them to get anything from the people I helped. Earning money on the side through copyrights and investments maybe, but not from accepting payment from those in need. As having access to both Iron Fist and Luke Cage meant I knew it wasn't going to last anyway.

"Now Gina and Penny may wish to research your culture and technology, and maybe we could stay for dinner or something, but beyond that…"

"Consider it done then my friend." Stripe said as he slapped me on the back with a smile. "You, Ms. Gina, Penny, and the lovely Ms Cheetah will always be honored guests and friends of my people. But first we must deal with Gyphon ."

"Don't worry folks, Cheetah and I can get Stripe to Atlantis in no time." Gina prided herself as she retrieved her stuff from the ground. "It'll be fun to pay Gyphon a little visit. You can come too Penny."

"Sounds like big fun to me Gold Digger." The dark skinned woman joked back to her rival.

"Don't call me that! Anyway It's not every day you get to discover two lost civilizations on the same expedition. Besides I've been looking for an excuse to skip Professor Myer's class tomorrow anyhow."

To be continued….

Author's notes: Okay I just read over my story again and noticed it needed some editing for grammar and spelling. If I missed anything please let me know.


	6. Into the Fathoms below

Disclaimer, I own nothing mentioned in this fic which holds a copyright, and while I would say I belong to me saying I own myself could start a confusing theological debate on the nature of God. This story was done only for fun, not taking it too seriously so don't take it as such. Hope you enjoy and please be kind enough to review.

Chapter 6: Into the fathoms below.

Part 1

Welcome back dear readers. When last we left off the vile Gryphon was expelled from El Dorado, but like most villains had excellent evasion abilities and managed to prevent us from ending things there and then by teleporting to his stronghold in Atlantis. It wasn't a total failure though, with our intervention at the legendary city of gold and the saving of the Kryn we have made great allies with the cat-people. But our hunt continues as our group finds itself out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a massive ship thanks to Gina's rival Penny Pincer…with yet another addition to our field team that was going to arrive shortly.

"Okay there; Alex are you sure that this little thing can give my Ginamobile nearly limitless power? It looks like a coaster with a series of LED lights attached." The famous Gina Diggers said as she held in her hand one of my newest products made in concert with Brianna.

"This, my lovely lady, is all that and more." I smile her while in one of my many alternate personas. "That little arc-reactor can generate the same power as a massive nuclear fusion reactor with but a fraction of the size."

"Yea but is it water proof is my concern." Britanny asked as she inspected the little do-dad sniffing it a bit. "I don't want to be trapped 3000 leagues under the sea and find out this thing doesn't like to get wet."

"Fathoms my luscious lycan; ocean depth is measured in fathoms." I point out. "And when Tony Stark says that it will work then it will work." Yep standing from head to toe in red and yellow metal was none other than Anthony "Iron Man" Stark himself. "This miniature arc-reactor generates enough power per minute to run that little kit-car for the next 2 years and yes it will be fully water-proof when installed."

"Well that's a relief, I still can't believe we are taking this hunk of junk instead of having you just build us a super-sub from scratch." Britanny's irritation was reasonable since, while a car-sub was a great idea for a Bond film, the intense pressures and temperatures of the bottom of the ocean were not a place I would want to explore in a car. But there was a time issue and from designs to production would take so much time that Gryphon would have a serious lead on us.

"Hmm, Dull minds like yours have always scoffed at what they cannot comprehend, Igor!" Gina piped in as she placed the reactor into its holding station. As the southern super genius set the blue glowing item into the adaptor, it locked into place and slid behind the crew-quarters. The resounding snap followed by the sound of pressuring gases indicated it was sealed in place.

"Look Gina, call me 'Igor' again and I'll 'scoff' you all over this hover-carrier!" Britanny growled at her older sibling.

"Anyway, I've made all sorts of modifications to this car…" Gina didn't even take notice of the werecheetah's attitude toward her and just continued on beaming with pride. "It's hull and chassis can withstand nearly any amount of pressure thanks to the magnetic force-field I've installed, it's brand new tachyon-charged secondary internal combustion engine can propel it at 200 knots underwater, and the addition of an electro-neutronic field to seal the hull makes my car a technological work of art."

"Yes well that may be true Gina, but I'm still hesitant at you not having multiple redundancies such as vibranium plating on key structural components or perhaps an emergency release escape assembly if the vessel gets damaged or the force-field malfunctions. Remember the outer most regions of human reach do not offer much in the form of second chances."

"Now that's probably the smartest things I've heard since we set foot on this floating tin-can." Britanny said as she took note of what was going on. "You know Gina you can learn a lot from this guy."

"Oh there is a lot I could teach her, but I would rather teach you. What do you say Cheetah? Free lesson before we leave?" I smiled at her with the best Don Juan act I could (which being Tony Stark was pretty good).

"Well sweetheart I would love to, but you're stuck in that metal tuxedo and I know that the loveable Alex I like isn't into quickies." Cheetah kissed me on the cheek after saying so. "But feel free to remember some of this guy's lines for later."

I was wobbly at the moment (even more so than free-falling into a tail-spin) and it was only Stark's playboy experience that caused me not to fall flat on my back.

"I think I'll go to the helo-pad and meet up with the rest of our group. I promised Stripe I'd let him see my human form today, and when we get back we can pick that wonderful mind of yours for useful tid-bits of information on Atlantis." That snapped me back to reality. Okay so Britanny just kissed me again, but it could have been just a friendly kiss rather than a romantic one while she took a special pride in getting to show the Kryn her human form.

"Sounds like he's as curious about you being a were-cheetah as you are about him being a half-cat, half-human sentient called a Kryn from El Dorado." Gina pointed out as she sat on the hood of her car. "Be sure to tell everyone not to expect me to come along with you all in Penny's mini-sub, I'll lead the way in my car."

Gina's voice was muffled a bit by the approaching sound of Ace's modified Osprey doing its final approach. For those that have never seen one of these aircraft, an Osprey is a bizarre hybrid of a prop-plane and a helicopter with VTOL capabilities. Faster than any helicopter, but with far more adaptive landing abilities than a conventional plane, the Osprey is favored by Marines and other such military forces for reliability, carrying capacity, and quick landings and take-offs.

"Okay if I feel like it." Britanny shot back at Gina. "Alex please try to get that rust bucket salvageable so I don't have to worry about explaining my sister's death to my parents."

"For a fireball like you? No problem." Before I was able to do anything though….

"GINA!" someone very important to this mission yelled. "How am I supposed to get my mini-sub into launch position with that crate blocking the whole bow of my hover-craft?" It was Penny, being her usual irate self. That girl needs to switch to decaf pronto.

With no shortness of fury, the dark-skinned woman nearly shoved a remote device into Gina's face.

"Here is the remote for the port-side crane. Get that heap outta here with the crane 'cause I know it can't move on its own….on account of it's a cheap piece of junk!"

"What is this! 'Pick-on-Gina's car day' or WHAT? And get that stupid remote out of my face before I lose my cool!" I decided to ignore this pointless bickering, while I focused more on getting Gina's craft up to shape. I dropped the face-plate of the armor down and turned on the MP3 player selecting AC/DC.

I was so focused on my work that I almost didn't notice that I had company.

"Hey there partner, how's the work going?" I felt a rapping on my helmet and a very delightful and energetic female voice call to me. In a shot I was up and my face once again exposed to the fresh sea air.

"Brianna how are you doing?" I smiled as my friend and co-inventor waved at me. Dressed in a plain t-shirt, denim mini-skirt, and hiking boots the youngest of the Diggers clan had a plasma cannon strapped to her back, a pee-bo on her shoulder, and a huge smile on her face. "I thought you were busy back in Georgia?"

"I'm doing great thanks." She answered as I decided to let the rival treasure hunters work out their own problems . "And after hearing that my two sisters found themselves on yet another insane adventure you can bet your last dime I'm not going to be sitting around at home. So I had daddy use one of his scroll things to teleport me to Ace's resupply depot."

"Hey I'm glad to have you, just who is watching Lily if you aren't?"

"Oh don't worry, my mom loves that little bundle of orange fluff. She said that she reminded her of Britanny when she was a kitten." Brianna elaborated as soon as she saw my befuddled look. "Chasing string, jumping onto laps, demanding affection…you know cat stuff."

"Got it, so who else is on this little endeavor?" I asked as my metal boots clanged against the deck of the craft along our trip.

"Well there is that absolute stud-muffin Stripe…" Brianna began to drool a bit as she mentioned him.

"Stud-muffin?" I ask aloud.

"What? I'm not going to apologize for finding Stripe hot. Look the time before with the dragon Britanny came home with you, and this time they bring home a guy like that? I'm not staying back and waiting for someone to come for me."

"And where does that leave Genn?" I asked as we just stood back and watched Gina and Penny make utter fools of themselves.

"Probably still in the bed recovering from last night." Brianna didn't even bat an eye as she said that. "I love the guy, but he seriously needs help with his stamina. Now you on the other hand….I'm betting that among your various guys there is one who is up to the challenge so to speak?"

"If I wasn't dating your sister…." I said faintly under my breath.

"What is going on here?" It was at that point when the topic of our discussion showed up, looking very different from what I had seen her as a few minutes ago. "Y'know for a pair of certified geniuses with IQ's over two hundred, you two sure act stupid!"

"Huh?" Brianna and I both asked Brit who she was referring to, but it became evident immediately as the now far shorter girl's attention was focused solely on the other two brains.

"She started it!" Gina retaliated.

"Not!"

"Not-Not!"

Brianna and I just shook our heads. "I'm about ready to ask for a drink." Brianna said. "Care to join me?"

"Well I wouldn't dream of ignoring such a kind offer…Say back at Stark Tower sometime…." Before I could get pulled into Tony's womanizing personality any further, I was staring at Britanny's new form in her choice of swim-trunks.

"Hey Cheetah, what happened to cause your pretty face to go into such a scowl?" I asked as Brianna chuckled a bit seeing her sister in her smaller (exceedingly cute) human form.

"Nothing muffin, just more Gina/Penny nonsense." The lycan sighed. "Thanks for the new duds though. I'm just glad they shift with me…unlike my other cloths."

"Yeah, but if your swimsuit was like your other cloths sis then you would have an excuse to show your best side to a certain prince and claim it was an accident." Brianna said winking to Brit.

"What are you?...It's not like that at all Brianna and you know it." Britanny said while blushing. "I just find it nice to not be the only fuzzy person around all the time." The lycanthorpe's reaction to her sister's teasing meant that she already had some level of attraction to the prince, but I wasn't sure if it was simple infatuation (and as innocent as she claimed it) or if it was genuine interest.

"Yeah, well you certainly left an impression on him. The whole flight he was wondering about you and asking me all sorts of questions. If I didn't find it so sweet I would have been offended. Relax I'm only teasing you Cheets."

"Oh good. Look I am trying to make a good impression on our new friend and you know with Gina being Gina…Look anyway thanks for the info Brianna I appreciate it. You know Alex, you're being awfully quite lately. Something bothering you?" Britanny said with a great deal of concern in her voice.

"No, just didn't have a whole lot to say." I smile at her. "And I was hoping you would give me a moment to do this." I bent down and kissed her, not sure why but it felt right…probably some of Tony rubbing off on me. "You are just too cute in human form." I noticed her blush and gave her a hug before we had to prep for leaving.

"Anybody wanna ride with me? I'll drive carefully…I swear!" Gina asked as she climbed into her car.

"I'll go." The female elf of our group said as she hopped in, much to her husband's protest. Dropping the canopy top, Gina made a bee-line for the waves crashing into the ocean with a huge splash. Penny, who was soaked because of that, was not happy.

"Okay enough horsing around. Everyone else get into the sub." Penny's pushy attitude was met with almost complete obedience, except that my emergency sensors went haywire.

"Brianna get into the sub and prepare for emergency launch. We have multiple bogies incoming fast." I stood erect for a second as Brianna took charge and raced to get everyone into the safety of the mini-sub and into the waters.

After my friend was clear of me though, I selected the energy saver ability, activated my thrusters and exploded from the deck into the air to try and head-off the would-be attackers.

"Alex what the heck are you doing?" Britanny yelled over the radio.

"Just taking care of some trouble-makers beautiful." I smile I buzzed across the cockpit of a MiG-35 at super-sonic speed and doing a quick scan of their radio frequencies. "Don't worry your pretty little head about me."

"Hey Ace, you didn't tick off anyone on the way out here, did you?" I heard the lovely lady ask her pilot as I was having way too much fun annoying the group of flying guns for hire.

"HMM…As a matter of fact I did!" Ace proudly, and very smugly, commented. "Just some mercenary nerds trying to sneak past a U.S.A.F. Boeing E-3 sentry. An A-10, an SU-25, and a set of High-tech MiG-35 'Kingfishers' with cloaking devices. I illumantated them all with my microwave laser on my osprey and made them look as big as barns on radar! I propably screwed up their whole operation! None of them can catch me in my osprey though…I wouldn't worry about those chumps."

"Ace you better think that one through again because I'm in the middle of a dog-fight here with them." I said in reply. "Just hurry and launch, I'll be there in a bit."

As I banked hard waiting to see what exactly these guys were going to do, alarms went off indicating they had a weapons lock on me . "Well looks like someone wants to play." I smiled as the advanced computer unit inside my armor immediately identified the opponent and their weapon. I shifted my weight, twisted my upper body, and aimed my hand at the A-10 focused on the hover craft. In a flash of light and sound the intense burst of repulser plasma blasted into the main body of the warthog.

"Dark Boid ta Night Flight…wha ta fuck just happened?" I heard on over the inner comm. "First da scum-suckin' joik dat cost us our mission, six million samolians in pay, and our reps with that cute li'l microwave laser o' his! No' we got some flying freek 'na tin suit shooting some beams at us."

"Don't worry Mates! Let's open up a can of ice-cold payback 'n' serve 'im up our specialty!"

So this was Night Bird, or Boid as she said it with her thick Brooklyn accent. No idea who the Aussie was, but they and the rest of their crew were going to find out the hard way why the title is "The Invincible Iron Man".

Being far more maneuverable than any of the aircraft I was facing, I had no difficulty avoiding near misses as I tried to put myself between my friends and these psychos. The MiG's autocannon unleashed a massive barrage of armor-piercing rounds right at me that would have decimated any conventional defense system…but I don't use conventional systems. Super-advanced dampener fields, composite alloys with vibranium and ademantium throughout, kinetic impact shields, and other little trinkets caused the rounds to fizzle out or bounce off my armor without me feeling a thing.

After the salvo, I raised my left arm, popped the forearm open, and launched a single missile at the MiG. Only being about 7 inches long it didn't look like the projectile would do much to a jet…until

FABOOOM!

Impacted right at the cannon and ripped the whole wing off causing the pilot to bail out and hope to be picked up later.

"Who the blazes is this wanker?" I heard the aussie exclaim as I went full throttle after the SU-25.

"I am IRON MAN!" I roared with joy and drove my fist right through the SU's wing while impacting at almost super-sonic speed. Ace didn't waste the opening I gave him and launched the sub into the depths with all crew (minus myself) safely aboard.

"Dark Boid ta Red Club! Time fa us ta hit da drink and blow dat mini-sub dey dropped to smiddariens! You try ta keep 'Iron Man' busy." Apparently Dark Bird didn't figure that I too could follow them under the sea, but that was not as important right now as keeping myself alive.

"Gina not sure if you are up on current events or not, but we have a slight problem heading your way." I called over the radio. "At least one if not two hostiles incoming and armed to kill."

"I knew there was something foul afoot! We must hurry!" I heard Mesha comment as I saw of the few remaining targets dive.

"GINA! This is Penny, we're under attack by some merc-weirdos. They nearly sank my hover-carrier and now they are coming after us. We need help!"

"I'll keep them off your tail, just get the one down below." I was still in the thick of things as some valley-girl was trying her darndest to bring me down. Good news was Stark tech was still far ahead of any other human technology on this Earth so I had a vast advantage on this kid.

"Like this is soo tough." I heard her squack. "Like he's so fast and small I can't get a good lock on him."

"There's another reason that's not going to work toots." I thought to myself. "Stark enterprises jamming equipment completely scrambles your weapon-lock abilities…at least long enough to do this…."

I raced for more air, climbing several hundred feet in mere seconds with the MiG right behind me. The occasional burst of cannon-fire hit me, but still didn't do much damage. I gunned my thrusters for a bit, just to see if she would take the bait.

"Like I have you now you…." That's exactly what I wanted her to do. In focusing to keep up with me she was caught off-guard when I hit the break, pulled serious negative G's (absorbed mostly by the suit) and lined up perfectly to shoot one burst of super-heated plasma straight into her engines.

I didn't have time to see how effective my shot was as I had to stop my rapid decent and regain control. But I thought I heard her shoot a stream of profanity…a rather poorly worded stream at that…before popping her shoot.

"Alex man don't know if you hear me … but we got serious problems down here so I'm firing everything I got. Best you not be in the skies when this comes your way." Ace's voice resounded in my head as I changed plans and just dropped for a while. A few seconds with controlled bursts to slow my decent was all I needed and then.

"AAAAHH!" Instantly back to my normal human self, gasping for breath and in shock at my fall. It took all my mental concentration to focus on changing into someone who may have been able to survive.

If we were going to Atlantis anyway, I figured I may as well fit in with the crowd. My bald head and slightly muscular form was replaced by a thick head of blond hair and massive 6' build covered in orange and green scales. Completely human looking, minus the loss of one hand that was now in the form of telekinetically controlled water, I swan-dived into my new element and raced like a marlin through the waves. I felt attune to this world and the thick rush of water past my gills revitalized me. Yes you heard right I said gills. It was mere moments before I was able to catch up with the mini-sub and avoid the massive explosions rocketing towards the surface.

"Outrageous!" I commented actually talking through the water as if it were air. That's right I was now in the form of Arthur Curry, also known as "Aquaman King of Atlantis". While made fun of constantly in the Super Friends cartoon, Aquaman is not the lame-brain he's made out to be. With grace and speed unheard of by any normal human, I quickly was able to overtake the sub.

"Egad is that a man out there?" I read Stripe's lips as he looked in total shock at me glidding past.

Britanny smiled at me and then looked at Penny for something. Penny's very apprehensive attitude was clear even without hearing what was being said, but she indicated that it was clear for me to enter the rear airlock. Momentarily I was standing before my friends, abet a bit on the soggy side.

"What hoe my good friends." I greeted them with Aquaman's usual gusto and off-beat govial nature. "And where have Gina and Mesha headed for?"

"Were you swimming out there just a moment ago?" Stripe asked as he wasn't sure what was going on.

"Indeed my furry friend." I said slapping Stripe in the back heartily. "But is not the sea the home of the King of Atlantis? Though true it is not my Atlantis we are going to."

"Wait you're telling me you could turn into the freaking king of these people and you didn't try that already?" Penny nearly yelled at me, much to everyone else's dismay.

"Hey now calm down." Ace said not even shifting his focus from operating the sub. "As far as I'm concerned I owe him one for covering our backs top-side…though I'm sure I could have taken them no sweat."

"Heh, I did all the shooting you blowhard, and shouldn't you be siding with your girlfriend?" Penny fumed at her intended other, who seemed to have no interest in her whatsoever.

"Hey everyone, what about Gina and Mesha? We've got to get to them." Britanny cried out as she pointed towards the window into the darkness.

"What? Have our friends been lost into the abyss?" I said in dreadfull fright as to the safety of the two separated friends.

"No joke. They might be hurt. Anyone see where they went?" Ace asked as he looked away from the HUD screen.

"I think I know where…and if I'm correct they're headed for serious danger." Stripe said with a deep well of concern in his voice.

"Great Neptune Prince Stripe tell me where they may be going and I shall make all speed to fetch them!" I turned with great haste towards the airlock I had just left, thinking of nothing more than to save those in need.

"Wait!" The Kryn said as he grabbed my shoulder. "I have no doubt as to your bravery King of Atlantis, but we are already down two companions and a vehicle. If you go rushing off to save them then we would separate our forces even more."

"By the great halibut you are right." I said in agreement. "Truly you are a cunning ruler, but here in the depths of Oceanus we are not so alone as you may think. I shall remain with you, but perhaps I can call upon some outside help."

I closed my eyes and focused my mind, calling out to any and all sea creatures in the area.

"What on Earth is that screwball doing now?" Penny asked as she stared at me like I was a lunatic.

"Hey back off Penny! Alex here may be odd, but every time he does something completely crazy it usually works out even better than expected." Brianna said in my defense, arming her various weapons systems on the work station she was at.

"What great fortune." I beamed with pride as a group of very large sperm whales appeared on our sides.

"Are those…whales outside?" Britanny asked as the great beasts echoed their great calls to eachother in route to us.

"Aye, they shall aide us in our search for our friends. Yonder ho Ace my good man we have not a moment to spare." I pointed my right (see replacement) hand towards the front of our craft.

"Ah yes, that would be the direction….How about I take over navigation?" Stripe said as he sat back down and helped guide Ace through the gloom.

"Splendid. Soon the foul villain shall be crushed by the mighty forces of justice." Please remember I have little control over how I speak when in character and was only lucky that Britanny and Brianna found my…different dialogue to be cute rather than crazy.

Sadly it was my very choice of words that would come back to haunt me since we had little time to wait before our next onslaught. And it was us dealing with being crushed.

"AAAAHH!" Penny screamed as the massive tentacles of a great Kracken were upon us.

I attempted to command the beast to leave us pass in peace, but the dark hold of Gryphon upon it was more than my telepathic commands. It was only by good fortune that the pod of whales I had called upon were able to give us some support as they rammed the massive cephalopod with their great heads and bit hard into its arms.

"Yo Penny…quit screaming in my ear! I'm tryin' my best to get us outta here. Geez!" Ace's mastery of the controls was put to the ultimate test with the great beast trying to tear the ship apart. The good news was that while squids are known for their brains, and able to deal with multiple problems, they are not known for their ability to deal with multiple aggressors simultaneously.

With all the weapons the sub had being launched out at our air-borne aggressors beforehand, there was little the sub itself could do to defend its occupants. I escaped out of the airlock and rushed out at the formidable beast as fast as a mako shark. The impact of my fist into the side of the creature was resounding through the water as I struck again and again, but the thick leathery hide and muscular body seemed to absorb everything I threw at it.

"Great Neptune's beard what will it take to stop this fightening foe?" I cried out. I clenched my water fist tight and…then realized that perhaps if punching it wouldn't do much, perhaps it could be hurt by slicing. I formed the water of my hand into a blade and drove it hard into the mantle of the beast. Instantly it cried out in pain and released the sub, if for a moment.

"Go my friends I know your time is nearly done." I said to my mammalian assistants who took their leave to shallower depths. "Now monster LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE!" I screamed out and drove my blade into its flesh again. Just like a highly focused hose stream, the watery blade was able to rend into the thick layers of mollusk muscle. Under the effects of whatever dark energies Gryphon had though, the thing wouldn't stop focusing on the sub and its occupants. Unable to escape, and out of reach of its arms, the oversized calamari couldn't stop my relentless assault of its head and body.

Catching the sub again, it found that one arm was free to try to smash me. I could feel the movement of the water and before the squid could reach me I dove to the side and went underneath the monster. As I did so I trailed my blade along, slicing a line deep into the hide of the poor wretch. Maddened by pain, the psychic commands of its master, and the rather difficult prey it was trying to catch, the intense hate pouring off of this one animal was tremendous. It was made all the worse when I decided to see if blinding it could stop it's rampage.

"I pity thee, but I cannot let you dare to harm those in the sub." I pulled back my hand and thrust my fist into the dinner-plate sized black eye before me. Various goo, mess, and bloody parts spewed out of the wound. The great arms of the ravenous denizen of the abyss were franticly jetting around with seething rage. Wiping around like great cords of iron, these tree-trunks of muscle would have easily snapped me in two if they hit me. Then I realized what finally happened; the hatred this thing had for me was far greater than the control Gryphon had so it was focusing on killing me rather than catching the sub. With half of the numerous limbs now trying to kill me, I had to focus on keeping myself alive.

When one tentacle came crashing towards me, I slashed at it with all my strength and cut deeply into the monster. I didn't wish to stay in-close to my foe, so I exploded away and started pounding the gaping hole that was once it's eye with concentrated bubbles. Like snow-balls, open gaps deep in the water formed in my hands and as soon as one formed, it was launched towards the wound I had inflicted. While a bubble may not seem like a useful projectile, being hit by one several hundred feet under the sea with a speed of at least 90 mph would tear through the hull of a battleship. But impact alone wasn't what did the real damage, it was the implosion of the bubble.

Since there was no air to form the balls in my hand, there were pieces of missing sea that couldn't remain and when they hit their target…BOOM! They imploded with tearing force. The beast couldn't deal with this much longer, so the moment that it lost concentration on its hold on the sub Ace didn't waste time asking questions. Two sizable canisters were jettisoned from the craft and almost immediately ruptured with a tremendous resound permanently incapacitating the creature and allowing us to escape. If I was human the rush of energy would have liquefied my organs and blown out my ears. Thankfully my super-human body gave me defenses against such and didn't feel much of anything…though likely that was because the body of the squid absorbed a great deal of that.

I smiled a bit as I saw my friends escape safely with their lives, but I still was saddened by the creature forced to do the dark sorcerer's bidding having to die. It was necessary, but in from of the King of the Seas the loss tore at me. Using this righteous indignation to motivate me, I hurried with all due haste towards the submersible. Sadly I was too late as when I reached the sub, a terrifying form with glowing red malevolence appeared and….

The next thing I knew I was standing petrified my normal self being held against my will in attention with Tark, Stripe, Britanny, Brianna, Penny, and Ace being trapped as well.

"It seems you are awake; good. I would hate to interrogate you while you were unconscious." I heard the slimy voice of Gryphon say to me as I woke to see his twisted face, still not completely healed from the beating I gave him just days before. Covering himself in a cloak, the dark magic user looked for all the world as if he was trying to be Voldemort's stunt-double.

"Bite me fish-face." I spat back at him.

"Oh I wasn't talking to you human…though your curious physiology makes you quite something of interest to me." Gryphon said as he turned towards my tiger-striped companion.

"Let the other's go Gryphon. This is just between you and me! Just as it's always been!" Stripe would have torn the Atlantian to shreds if he were free, but with Gryphon's new mastery of the arcane that likely wouldn't happen any time soon. I had to think, and think fast, if I was going to get my friends free from this trap. I just needed Gryphon to focus on someone else so I could shift forms without him blasting me.

"You are hardly in a position to give orders, oh Lord of El Dorado." Gryphon bit back at the kryn prince, and at the pain he was going through from the lumps and welts on his damaged face. "With the powers I have gained from your artifacts, I could destroy you as easily as I destroyed my weakling masters; the late Masters of Atlantis."

The dark pride this black patch of selfish hate had was disgusting me greatly, but the raw power he had at his disposal likely meant he could even challenge Dr. Fate. I had to think of someone, anyone who wouldn't just beat him, but who could negate his powers completely.

"That's it." I thought to myself. "His power, no matter how great, is magic and magic can't affect…." I hid the last word from my mind, just in case he was telepathic.

"But I find it much more enjoyable for me to torture your friends slowly, while the armies of Atlantis prepair to take over the upper world with my ultimate weapon." Typical villain BS aside, Gryphon was now a serious threat to the whole world and needed to be stopped asap.

"Dream on psycho." I heard my brave lady cry out. Britanny's strength was beyond just physical as she continued to lash out even if but with her tongue.

"Silence." Gryphon cried as he started to choke Britanny through his will alone. "I remember you brash one. While your friend who did hurt me is too valuable a specimen to harm…for now…I think that hurting the one he cares about would be a far sweeter torment."

"Go fuck yourself." That did it. I didn't fucking care if this was a long shot, or if I had to give up being male for a moment or two, Britanny in pain was too much for me to deal with and I luckly found that Gryphon's magic was just as weak to a certain form of iron as any other.

"AAAAA!" With a bird like cry I flew at the Atlantian the moment I finished shape-shifting. Shorter, stronger, and now with two huge wings I was more agile than Gryphon with the added bonus of my weapon instantly negating his power over me. The crackling burst of electricity from the mace in my hand shared my raw aggression at seeing someone I held dear hurt.

"What in blazes is…."Gryphon turned around just in time to see the bright orange headpiece and green shirt of a certain Thanagarian flash in his eyes, and an enth metal weapon strike him in the gut. Like Kryptonite to Superman, all the strength Gryphon had died the instant the mace was near him. And without any defense from my attack, I likely shattered several ribs on my first blow.

"When Britanny said you could become female I thought she was joking." Stripe said as he got a look at me in one of my…less than ideal forms (from my perspective).

"Don't get used to it Stripe. This is only a temporary situation." I didn't stay long as Hawkgirl though, not wanting to go nuts again. But I needed someone who could challenge Gryphon, who would know the ways of magic and counter his every move, and who would have no moral qualms about killing this guy if needed.

"Nice wings you had Alex, need a hand with this joker?" I head Gina say from behind me. Stripe was already at Britanny's side as I placed myself between Gryphon and my assorted friends.

"You dare?" The malevolent Atlantian was on his feet faster than I expected.

"Of course we do. We're the ones who kicked yo' butt the last time we met and we're gonna do it again here." Gina sat at some sort of hover-chair's controls while she was flanked by Mesha, two bulky Atlantian males, and a female Atlantian who was charging a mystic bolt in her hands.

"Your hour is at hand, dear brother!" The unknown female, who I guessed was Princess Tyr said.

"You can say that again Tyr." And I was correct on my guess.

"BLAST HIS BUTT!" Gina ordered as two energy blasts struck at the master of this domain. I wasn't really surprised when Gryphon blocked both blasts with a shielding spell. But it was time he faced a true master of the mystic arts and his better in every way.

"So Tyr, you have found the Lost Gem of the Ancients…It's magic-nulliying power may have allowed you passage through my magical wards, but you are still doomed."

"No whelp, it is you who are 'Doomed'." I said as I brought an armored fist across Gyphon's face. I was now dressed in silvery metal armor with a green cloak drapped over my head and a matching vestment and tunic across my torso to mid-calf. My face covered in a horrible metal faceplate with only my glowing eyes to showing that there was some living flesh under there.

"Mesha! Use your powers to 'wizard lock' this chamber!" Tyr cried "We don't want Gyphon to summon any help! Tanis and Garen will Bar the entrance from Gyphon's guards!"

"Brilliant strategy princess." I smiled cruelly under my faceplate and summoned a shield around myself that blocked Gyphon's ability to directly attack anyone else by me. "But you need not worry as this one's fate is sealed."

"Pitiful fools, feel my power!" The bold master of this domain launched a bolt of concentrated magic at me, only to be in utter dismay as I simply batted it away without a care.

"Pitiful? You dare to call Doom pitiful? Allow me to demonstrate my true power." I concentrated my will around the forcefield and immediately multiple streams of yellow magic shot out at my advocacy tearing into his flesh. While he was caught trying to block my attack, I was able to unleash my own concentrated mystic bolt. The sphere of power shot from my hands and hit hard into the already wounded magician sending him flying several feet across the room in a heep.

"See now fool how none can defy Doom?" I said to Gyphon, who was still conscious, but barely. "Surrender and I may find mercy in me not to obliterate you."

"Obliterate me? You human worm I shall….what is happening?…"Gyphon, who before had a healthy shade to his skin, now had the appearance of dried seaweed. Inside my environmentally protected suite I couldn't feel the change in the atmosphere, but my sensors indicated a drop in humidity.

"I'm happening Gyphon!" It was Gina. Hovering high above our heads her reconstructed Ginamobile pieces were now a very powerful hover-chair with more tricks than I originally gave it credit for. "I suspect that, being an Atlantian, you have a need for a large amount of water in the air, which explains the high humidity rate in here. My Ion-accelerator should be enough to dry you up to bleached bones."

'Marvilous, brilliant, simple and effective'. I admired the brilliance of Gina with great delight. Thinking perhaps she would be someone who could be of use to me….till I remember I was not Dr. Doom, but only using his powers for a moment and thought that if Gyphon was affected then so….

"Gina wait…." A weak female cry came from a now immobile princess. "That device, it…it's killing us!" Try was gasping for breath spralling on the floor. Her compatriot echoed the cry for help and immediately Ginat turned her weapon off.

"Hang on Tyr, I'm turning it off now. Garen grab the gem and free the others with it's dispelling powers."

"No need Dr. Diggers. The paltry incantations which hold our allies are easily dispersed by someone of my mystic skill." With but a motion of my hands Tark, Stripe, Britanny, Brianna, Ace, and Penny found themselves free of their petrification. "But then again someone like Gyphon is but a child to the likes of Doom."

"Okay then, Mesha take care of this looser before he regains his strength." Gina said taking control of the situation.

"Of course Gina. My wizard-lock is more than enough to seal off his powers." The female elf was fully capable of dealing with the now impotent cur, so I focused on my other friends. The minor and useless cursing of Gyphon was about to cause me to blast his head off though as I had enough of his petty pontifications.

"Are you unharmed Ms. Cheetah?" I asked taking my Britanny's hand in my own and kissing it. "I hope you will not hold the delay of your freedom against me." I could see how unsettling my current visage made her, and regained my more human appearance.

"No problem pal, but if you could turn into Thor for a bit and let me borrow that hammer I would like to try it out on that jerk's noggin." The vindictive nature of my feline friend may have been something I wished to indulge her, but with that attitude she'd never lift Mijoner.

After a bit of bickering between Gina and Penny, Mesha tackling Tark and smothering him with affection, and a major powershift in the thrown of Atlantis, it looked like all was going to be well here…till Stripe pointed out a major issue that no one remembered.

"Princess Tyr, the threat of Gyphon may have ended but the affairs between our countries have not." The young prince was right of course, we were friends of both the Kyrn and Atlantians, but the Kyrn and Atlantians were not friends.

"Lord Stripe? I hadn't even noticed your presence!" And now things were about to go to Hell in a handbasket. As the immediate issue was being resolved, the long lasting problems which plagued the Kryn and the Atlantians felt as if the chamber we were in was going to turn into the OK corral.

"I am speaking of the war between Atlantis and El Dorado that has carried on for centuries…!" There was a deep force behind Stripe's voice at that, and Britanny hung to me tightly, and kept squeezing my arm to prevent herself from crying out.

"You've come to surrender Kryn?" The taller of the Atlantians with Tyr asked in confussion.

"No Garen." All my fears at what was going to happen were washed away as the new leader of the Altantians did exactly what I had hoped she would do. "There must be an end to the fighting Lord Stripe, and with the destruction of the evil lords of Altalntis at the hands of my brother, Peace can be achieved."

The petite fish-person took the crown of the Kryn from Gyphon's brow and said these parting words to her brother. "My thanks to you Gyphon, some good actually came from your lust for total power."

Turning once again to the cat-like male, Tyr bowed her head and offered the jewel incrusted symbol of power to her supposed advocacy. "I return all that he has taken from you Stripe. Here is the crown he stole from you. Let there be peace between our peoples."

Britanny sighed in relief and then elbowed the restrained prisoner in the back of the head "Where's the rest of Stripe's heirlooms Gyphon?"

"And don't try anything smart, this little baby can turn your brains into scrambled eggs in less time than it takes to blink." Brianna said as she pointed a plasma rifle right into the fishy captive's face. The sound of the energy chamber warming up was a very satisfying whirling hum which for some reason just made me want to shoot someone (or something).

"There, in my vault." Gyphon tilted his head indicating that additional materials resided behind a very large set of doors with elaborate handles. Gina immediately headed towards where the remaining prizes were indicated to be when Tark was overheard saying.

"Mesha, I sense evil magic behind that door."

His wife had a far more directed response to what was going on. "GINA, DON'T TOUCH THAT VAULT!"

Which of course didn't do much as Gina had already touched the handle and….

VOOM

In a burning release of fire and brimstone stood a touring monstrosity which appeared to have come from the depths of Hell itself. A monster of stone and metal several stories tall with 5 arms and what looked like seven heads with the center one having bull's horns, it was a fiendish monstrosity of absolute terror and malevolence that just reeked of evil.

"There are your artifacts Stripe! They power the most awesome power of Earth!" Gyphon's pride at his sick monstrosity of magic was repulsive. It was a miss-shaped mechanism with twisted construction that matched the twisted soul of it's master. "ARMAGEDDON! Kill them my slave!"

In hushed tone Britanny made vocal our shared opinion "Gyphon, you evil sack of shit."

I was trapped in awe at this beast, and barely had time to jump out of the way as the massive right hand came crashing down into the floor.

"Look out it's striking!" Tyr cried out as I was brought back to my senses.

"INCOMING!" Brianna cried. "I've always wanted to say that!"

While Brianna's extatic disposition may have exuded confidence, it didn't exactly help with the problem at hand.

"There is no excape." Gyphon wheezed in insane delight. "Ha! Ha!"

"Shut up Gyphon."(What a shmuck) Britanny's retort was unnecessary as the massive fist carried forth into the ground and

SMASH!

"Egad! That behemoth just destroyed Gyphon." Mesha pointed out as the great fist of Armageddon turned its creator into a squashed bug.

"Good riddance!" Stripe said as he just barely escaped his own death. "Anyone see Gina? She wasn't disintegrated by that blast was she?"

"Never mind her now Stripe!" Britanny cried out. "That giant's about to barbecue us!"

"Gina's fine!" I yell out.

"You see her?" Taker asked, while his focus was completely set on the flaming foe in front of us.

"No…no I don't. But trust me okay she's alive…just not here." I said wondering just what I could do to help. But from the look on Britanny's smiling face the fact her sister was okay was good enough news.

"Nice to know she's okay, but will somebody do Something!" Brianna yelled out as she took a prone shooting position and aimed at he target.

"Quickly everyone, under my Wall of Force! It should protect us from the heat of those flames." Tyr's abilities were sorely put to the test, but maybe I could help.

"Where's King Kong when you need him?" Ace bellowed.

"Sorry no apes here, but maybe another jet-jockey can even things up." For the third time I found myself in need of the extraordinary powers of the Green Lantern. The emerald beam of solid light raced from my ring and surrounded Armageddon. It took all my will to keep the shield from cracking, but perhaps….

"Tyr focus you will with mine!" I yelled out.

"What!"

"Trust me. This rig uses will-power to work and I need you to help me by combining our wills together to form a stronger shield." Without a moment's hesitation she agreed and while the roof was collapsing all around us, the heat of the flames never got anywhere close to breaking our defensive line.

"Oh, no! it's breaking the citadel!" Mesha pointed out.

"Focus with me princess or we may be flash fried before we get crushed." I commented to her as red-yellow bursts of heat pounded relentlessly at the only protection there was between us and certain obliteration.

"It is holding friend. If we keep this up then we shall be okay." Her confidence was not in false faith, it was clear that we were more than a match for what this thing was throwing at us.

"What's so bad about that Mesha? Let the sucka go!" Ace's retort may have seemed pompous, but one could perhaps understand his confidence…understand it, but not fall prey to it.

"The situation is worse than it looks Ace." Tark started.

"Not only is it now free to ravage the cities of the world, it's letting all the water from outside in here!" and his wife finished.

"I fear the water pressure will be too great even for our combined efforts." Tyr said to me…her fear seriously hampering the ring's construct. "Tanis and I can survive the rush of water, but I fear the rest of you would perish!"

"Tyr break off and try to keep them safe. I know I can hold this back by myself but I'll need you to get everyone out to safety." I said to my friend and immediately I felt the full brunt of holding the water above where it was.

Sadly the change in focus did have a few weak-spots and "The shield is weakening I….argh my hair!" Penny cried out as she got a little wet.

"Of all the vain…Look lady just get out of here before…"

"Indeed, the portal we came through is still open!" the masculine fish-man said pointing to a shimmering screen. "Hurry into it before it's too late."

"Alex come on we have to go." Britanny said to me while tugging at my shoulder.

"You go ahead Cheetah. I've got this one all wrapped up!"

"Are you crazy, come on…" Though she tried with all her might, Britanny couldn't budge me in her human form.

"Stripe get her and go will you. I'll be fine." I yelled out to my rival to Britanny's heart and renuied my attention to the problem at hand.

"It is best not to argue with the man Cheetah." Stripe said as he threw Britanny over his shoulder and lept through the portal with her, only giving me a passing salute.

"Okay Buster, let's see how well you handle the most powerful weapon in the universe." I smiled as Armegeddon began pouring on the hurt.

"IN BRIGHTEST DAY IN BLACKEST NIGHT…." I began the sacred oath handed down through endless millennia and from countless Lantern to Lantern.

"NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT…" I could feel the power surging in the ring as I met the torrent of energy cascading down on me blow for blow. The ring on my finger seeming to want to bust all the while.

"LET THOSE WHO WOSHIP EVIL'S MIGHT…." I could feel the strength within me like a mighty damn about to bust, an upwelling of will and power unimagined was now about to explode through me to an unexpected target.

"BEWARE MY POWER…" What happens when two unstoppable forces meet? This…

"GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!" The massive release of power was unlike anything I had felt before. The tremendous cosmic energies that exited my ring first started to push back the robotic beast, but then more and more my green radiating light overtook the yellow-red force from the magically powered creation of evil and

KAPHOOM!

Like a rocket the foe was sent skyward and out of sight. The power of will was far greater than magical machinations and the waters were pushed back far enough for me to fly towards the swiftly closing portal.

"Did anyone see what that was?" I could hear Penny ask as I raced to my salvation.

"I'm sorry it was just too bright for me to discern what happened, even with my elvish eyes." Tark said as he hugged his wife dearly.

"Do you think Alex is…you know…?" Britanny said as she cried into Stripe's chest.

"I do not know…the artifacts of my people were their greatest source of power, but yet Alex has shown a great reluctance to be defeated."

The fight had taken a great toll on me truth be said, so when I rushed out through the portal and into the pool I found myself going back to normal just from exhaustion. Coughing a bit, I stumbled up and out to the rim of the passage way.

"Hey guy's what's up?" I called out, my head clearing from the rush of adrenaline.

"ALEX!" Britanny, while in mid transformation, cried out and lunged at me. "You're alright!"

"Ah Cheetah, I can't….breathe…" The massive amount of female muscle giving me a death grip, and vibrating so heavily with purrs, made me feel as if I was going to be crushed by a jackhammer; a wet jackhammer.

"Don't you ever do that to me again. I thought I lost my bestest buddy."

"Congratulations my dear friend." Stripe said as he slapped me hard on the back. "You defeated that monster and saved the world. It seems I am again in your dept."

"Indeed. Atlantis too owes you much…Alex is it? For saving us." Tyr smiled as she bowed to me a bit.

"Thanks, but it's far from over." I said as Britanny let me go. Her dripping fur mixed with her frown made her look even more depressed.

"But we saw you…" Brianna started.

"I pushed him back, but I may have just made him more angry." I said sitting down and taking my wet boots off. Britanny just had to choose that time to shake like she was doing the Twist on speed and dowsed everyone with water.

"Don't do da…EEK!" Penny said as she got a face-full of kitty smelling water.

"But how do you know it wasn't destroyed?" The larger of the two male Atlantians asked me.

"It's too powerful to be decimated like that. It's busted perhaps, but being magical it will restore itself will it not?" I asked looking at Stripe. "Or am I wrong about the power of your family's artifacts?"

"I must agree with Alex on this one. The artifacts of my people are far too strong to be easily destroyed."

"If that is true then that creature will rip Atlantis to ribbons if we don't stop it immediately." The one called Garen pointed out.

"But what about Gina? We could use her help." Mesha pointed out as we were trying to figure out our next step.

"Yes but what happened to her? Alex you said she was okay, do you perhaps know where she has gotten off to?" Tyr asked me.

"I know she's okay because this is her comic and the lead character doesn't die in their own comic…or at least doesn't stay dead for long since it took Superman a year to get better."

"What is he talking about Cheetah?" Stripe asked, having not gotten my usual story beforehand.

"Perhaps he is just dealing with the effects of that fight with the monster?" Tyr thought.

"Uh no he's crazy, but not that crazy….you see Alex here isn't from our world he's…Well he's completely human but not…well not completely human since he can change his form into different characters but he's not from this universe." Britanny said trying to explain it. "Look don't ask me for details it makes my head hurt."

"Not from our universe?" Tyr asked in wonder. "But he looks just like any other human, or at least every human I have ever seen."

"Yea well I don't get it completely either but Gina is fine, just lost for now and I'm sure she'll be okay." I said as Britanny went back to hugging me like a stuffed bear.

"If that is the case, then I hope your pool may tell us where she is." Mesha commented to Tyr, while Tark attempted to console his wife. "I tried to teleport her away from the trap's explosion, but the magic surge distruped the incantation."

"Do not worry my one, we know she is safe wherever she may be. And she is very resourceful."

"Hey I got it why don't we just have Alex try that telepathic guy Savier, Zaviore, whoever, and find Gina then fly out and get her back?" Brianna asked as she popped the releases on her weapon and started cleaning out the moisture from it.

"It's Xavier, and I have a very good reason not to." I said patting Britanny's rock-solid back. This caused everyone to look at me with great interest.

"And that would be…." Penny nearly yelled at me.

"Plot development." With a completely straight face I said that, and as expected everyone was about to punch me. "And a way that we can stop Armageddon."

Part 2

"So what do we do then? Just wait around and hope Gina can stop this guy?" Brianna asked as she was wringing out her shirt. "Can't we just remove it's batteries or something?"

"That's it." Tyr said as she thought about it. "The only way we can destroy Armageddon is from the inside."

The current ruler of Atlantis walked towards the pool we had just used as an escape path and used her magic to turn it into a portal where we could enter our foe from.

"I will use the Pool of Legends to create a gateway to one of the air-filled cavities inside it. From there you must seek out the source of Armageddon's power and destroy it."

As the water swirled and whirled about I was left to wonder.

"How exactly do you know this is where the power source is?" That caused everyone to look at me for a moment. "Does anyone have a design chart or some sort of innate understanding of the construction of the animatron?"

"Don't worry Alex." Stripe said. "Kryn and Atlantian technology is very similar in design and Gyphon used my people to build it so it is reasonable to deduce that he would need them to breath while working on it…though there is no certainty as they were stone at the time."

"So we just leap into danger not knowing exactly what we may deal with and only a vague plan to go by? Sounds fun to me." Brianna smiled as she activated some sort of targeting visor and pulled out a pair of assault carbines.

"Yes, but it is truly a dangerous mission." Garen acknowledged. "Tanis and I will go."

"Then be careful Garen." Tyr said with great confidence, but with a slight edge of fear in her voice.

"I'm witcha G." Ace calmly said as he put on a pair of swim goggles that he somehow was carrying with him.

"And what about you?" Penny asked, for some reason I can't fathom to this day very annoyed at me. "Are you going along?"

"Spartans never run from battle." I replied to her as my skin grew a distinctive shade of grey, my cloths changed to red and gold armor, I lost all the hair on my head, and I dropped a few inches. "Live with purpose, die with honor." I muttered to myself as I grabbed the two massive curved blades on my back and heard the click of the chains on my arms connect to the ringlet on the hilt of the blades.

"Forgive me if I do not wish to agree with that last part my friend. I don't wish death to anyone this or anyother day." Stripe said as he looked at the shimmering pool before him.

"Then….then you are a wiser ruler than I ever was Prince of the Kryn." I said. "But this day battle is called out and I will answer."

"And what name does battle call out to that you answer as this one Alex?" Tyr asked me as her arcane abilities continued to hold the portal open.

"Kratos." I almost sneer and jump forth towards my destiny, only to be stopped by the kindness I needed.

"Hey Alex.." The soft voice behind my shoulder said to me. "Before you go please just promise me you're going to come back okay." It was Britanny and she walked towards me and wrapper her hands around my arm. "I mean Gina's gone and I don't want to lose anyone else okay?"

"I have no plans to die again Cheetah, not after all I've had to do so far." While I had not killed anyone, Krato's memories of death, betrayl, murder, and slaughter were enough to drive just about anyone to madness. I was only graitful that his final battle removed the madness of the nightmares.

"Good." The werecheetah smiled as she kissed me on the cheek and then slapped my backside. "Now go out here and kick bad-guy tookus while I go looking for Gina."

"Don't worry Cheetah, there will be battle the likes of which would cause Olympus itself to fall." I smiled boldly as I leapt forth into the pool screaming a battle cry at the top of my lungs.

The rush from passing through the mystic was met with an even greater one as my inborn Spartan drive to fight was called forth with the presence of a series of hulking automatons. They stood about 6' at the shoulder with menising blades and claws. I smirked and chuckled as they started to lumber forth at me through the foot of some unknown glowing goo on the floor. While their gleaming red visor eye made them seem completely inhuman and perhaps frightful to a lesser man, I had torn the eyes out of cyclopses, killed false gods, and crushed the Sisters of Fate under my sandled feet.

"So Gyphon sends toys to do his work, so be it." I drew the blue glowing golden edged blades of Athena from my back and was about to charge at my new targets when I heard others coming through the gaitway.

"Alex man wait up ge!" the familiar voice of Ace called to me.

"What is it!" I barked at him. "Can't you see I am in the middle of a fight?"

"Yea dawg, I just wanted you to save some for the rest of us." The young man was as cocky in fisticuffs as he was in his plane. I smiled at this and launched my sword into the chest one of the machines. The blade imbedded into the metal shell, I pulled back on the chain, and wrenched the monstrosity from it's footing. Tossing it towards my darker skinned compatriot I chuckled.

"Here enjoy." I roared as I faced the approaching foes and launched myself at them.

"He's absolutely mad." Penny cried out as she cowarded behind my more useful allies. I was more interested in the robot I was terminating by driving one of my blades into the head and then slicing it in half with the other.

"Mad he may be Ms. Pincer, but he is making headway and we have little time to argue." Strype called out to me as I danced about jumping, slicing, smashing, jabbing, cutting, and blocking.

"Great all a bunch of meat heads with no brains. These things must be the internal defenses that protect Armageddon from intruders like us." Penny observed far too late to be of use, and since it was blatantly obvious what these things besieging us were I have no clue why she thought it necessary to state the obvious. "It's hopeless to fight them so we've got to find a way around them."

"Hopeless whelp? I shall show you hopeless!" I switched weapons as I grabbed hold of the Blade of Olympus and drove the glowing blue sword that ended the Titan Wars into two of the monsters in front of me and would have gored them as I sliced them in half had they any organs to spill forth. "These are but toys. Show me a real fight you useless machines."

My ire was growing by the second. I headbutted one of these things, smashed it to the ground, and tore it in half.

"Penny you find a way around these things in case more show up…" Stripe commented as he performed one of the most flawless grab, swing, and throw combos I had ever seen. "while the rest of us keep these creatures preoccupied."

As the catman finished his move the anthropomorphic machination was thrown several feet into one of it's comrades stunning both. As the former god of war I was greatly impressed, but would keep that to myself.

"The wind-up , the pitch, and sstie-rrike three!" Ace said as he was doing very little to help the situation.

"I thought you wanted to fight these things boy. If you do not silence your toungue and use your fists I shall throw you back to the others who likely are doing something far more useful than you." I yelled at my friend, while switching weapons again and smashing one of my taller foes in the head with the Barbarian King's hammer, following up with Athena's blades cleaving the arms off my foe.

"Could someone take this guy down before he notices I'm setting him up?" Penny said as she was on all fours behind one of the smaller robots. She was quickly answered by the heavily finned Atlantian called Tanis.

"Argh! lucky shot" I heard Stripe say as he was launched overhead. I couldn't help the prince land, but I did draw Typhon's Bane, pulled back on the mystic string, and released causing a compressed blast of near solid air to obliterate the target's head.

"We should end this quickly my friends" the giant of a man called Garen said as he elbow smashed one of the things in the head followed by Ace tripping two of the things.

"What's the rush? I'm havin' a good ol' time." Ace's overconfidence was doing no one any good and he was at this point a complete gold brick. Were this the comic alone I am sure that these things would be the only wave of advocary we faced, but as this was not the comic things were not going easy for us.

Down the same path that the mere 4 in number had come, now more than a dozen of these cylon like things were marching.

"Yeah that's right! Ace is in the house! It's time ta…what?" At that point the fact we were soon to be overwhelmed was made evident and the very confident pilot gulped hard. Thankfully facing overwhelming waved of foes is what Kratos does as a warm-up every day.

"RAAAAAHHHH!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I summoned forth the Rage of the Titans. My body began to pulse with the anger and hate of years of injustice forced upon me and the melevalant glow of orange yellow flame was all around me. "All those who do not wish to die I suggest leave now…" I swung the curved blades of my destroyed protector around in arcs like the blades of a turbine. I unleashed the blazing electrical blasts of Chronos' rage, made arching gashing throught my paralyzed opponents, tore through chests, ripped off arms & legs, and exploded blasts of the Titan's wrath upon the foes breaking upon me as a great series of waves.

"What demon is that man possessed by?" Garen asked as I gutted three robots in one movement.

"I have no idea, but I'm not going to complain." Ace said while I stomped upon the back of a robot at my feet and ripped it's torso from the rest of the body, then proceeded to use it to bash another robot into scrap.

"Indeed. Alex how long can you hold those things at bay?" Stripe yelled as he rose back on his feet.

"I have dared to strike down the petty gods of Olympus, bashed in Hercules's head, laid low Poseidon, tore Hermes's legs off, impaled Hephaestus, slaughtered the Sisters of Fate, Theseus and Perseus I made into carrion, and struck down Zeus himself with not but my bare hands and hope. THESE THINGS ARE NOT EVEN A WARM UP!"

"I think he has a handle on things then." Tanis said as he found himself currently able to relax a bit, but only for a bit.

"Oh like heck I'm going to let him have all the fun. Hey Alex save some of that for me!" Brianna cried out as she brought her cannons to bear on a target. High powered energy blasts ripped into a number of the approaching mechanic targets.

"So you wish to prove yourself today Amazon?" I forced myself to smile through the rage effect upon me. "Then let us begin…One." I said as I smashed hard into the cranium of one robot. "Two." The Athenian Blades cut X wise across another target launching its bisected remains into the air."

"Five…" Brianna smiled yelling over my head and a cluster of mini-missiles impacting a group of foes.

Kratos pride couldn't let him be beaten at anything so I proceeded to start hacking and slashing like a lumberjack.

"Three, four.." I continued on with a mixture of agile combos and raw brutal aggression. Like ripe grain before the scythe these pathetic defenses of Armageddon were falling as soon as they attempted to help their comrades. "TWENTY!..."

"Oh come on you cylon knock-offs you are making this way too easy." Brianna giggled with delight. "At least make this interesting." The challenge was left unanswered as the intense heat of her weapon's release left two foes as charged blackened slag.

"If you are done standing around I need you and your razor blades over here pronto." Penny called out to the Atlantian guard.

"What is it Penny? I don't want to not be able to help our friend if he needs it." The fishy friend said he made his way towards the maiden.

"Use your razors to cut this cable. I wanna see what happens."

"Very well, but please do not refer to my cortal fins as razors!" Tanis said indignantly.

"Well, they're sharp aren't they?"

"They are supposed to be attractive; mine are only sharp because I am a guard." Regardless of the Atlantian's disgust at how something imperative to his ability to procreate was, he obliged with proficiency and the results were immediate.

In a millisecond the vast wave of foes assaulting us were now useless hunks of junk. I calmed down, dropped the rage of the Titans, and returned my blades to my back.

"AHAH! JACKPOT!" Penny smugly congratulated herself.

"The creatures, they're just falling down like lumps." Stripe said as he was beside himself in shock, and a bit of exhaustion.

"Please whatever you do, don't ask her how she did it." Ace warned. "She's just waiting for an excuse to star frontin'!"

"I think she's going to tell use anyway." Tanis said looking towards the preening female.

"Ya damn right I am. Armageddon, however lifelike, is still a construct…a robot. It's just not economical for all of those creatures to have brains. So I figured that there must be a central intelligence controlling them, and that cable Tanis cut was some kind of transmission antenna. What would you helpless little boys do without me?"

"I'm sorry were you saying something wetch, I was busy doing something important." I said as I approached, deliberately crushing one of the robot's heads under my sandal.

"We have no time for petty infighting." Stripe said assuming command of the situation. "We must make headway to the power system of this beast and deactivate it immediately."

"Agreed." Garen interjected. "We best make our way quickly before a backup of some sort is activated." Having total agreement with that, we made our way through the vast corridors, pipeways, and communication hubs that made up the inner workings of this evil construct. It was fortuitous that the route we took was a short one.

"So this leads to Armageddon's power source eh? Spooky." Ace observed, and I couldn't argue with his assessment.

"Okay Stripe, but let's take five first, I'm bushed." Penny said as she breathed heavily from our endurance run. "I didn't come along to wear myself out. "

"Speaking of which, why did you come along? According to Cheetah, you and Gina are bitter arch-rivals!" The head of the Kyrn asked with concern for who was in his company right now.

"Arch-Rivals? HA HA!" Ace chuckled coldly. "Stripe, those two are just a little short of being archenemies, every time they meet, they've always breaking bad on each other…f'instance…" Ace then listed a myriad of grudges, sins, and professional arguments that Penny and Gina had through the years. The range of petty battles went from the comical to the insane and I couldn't help but laugh at each one.

"And what about the dread caves of…" Ace began another tale, only to be cut off before it started.

"ACE!" Penny yelled. "Shut up. You're embarrassing me."

"Yea but it's still true. ALL OF IT." Ace picked at his other.

"Gina Inviting you along seems stranger than ever, considering how you two treat each other and you coming along is even stranger." Stripe said in thought.

"Don't underestimate Gina's reasoning Stripe…She knew I would follow her anyway, so she invited me to team up with you all so that either she or one of you could keep an eye on me. I, on the other hand, agreed to come with you so I wouldn't be the only target if I was attacked. Saftey in numbers."

"Well now that makes far more sense than I had thought. Perhaps you have more sense than I gave you credit for." I said to the irate female, who looked as if she was going to punch me.

"Come on now Alex, no need to be rude." Brianna said as she licked her lips. "I'm sure Penny will be able to help us figure out a way stop this thing so we can get home and I can take a look see at what's under that badass armor of yours." The youngest of the Diggers clan was going over the top making sure I heard her licking her lips at the idea.

"Hold it everyone." Tanis observed. "Something strange is happening to the power source." I had wished that the Atlantian had spoken up earlier, since now we were in deep trouble.

"Check this." Ace said. "That thing's flaring like a blast furnace. It looks like Armageddon's finished resting!"

"At least we can see everything clearly with that light coming from the power source." Penny observed, and oh how she observed. "Most of the building material here is made with the gold from El Dorado." The level of avarice she was exuding right now would have made her an Orange Lantern in seconds had this been the DC universe. Thankfully that did not happen.

"Quit thinkin' about how much money you can scrape off of the walls Penny, Armegeddon's wakin' up!" Ace yelled.

"Ace, you're working my last nerve!"

"What do you make of this Stripe? After all your people designed and built this horror!" the giant of our group asked with dread in his voice.

"It's about to move Garen. It's going to destroy the rest of Atlantis just as it destroyed the Royal Citadel. Once it absorbs all of the energy from the destruction , it will be able to function without my people's artifacts to power it."

"Then it will be unable to be stopped by any means at our disposal." I observed.

"Then we'd better get down there right awWA-Y!" Tanis said as the entire floor shifted and the room began to invert.

"It's tilting. HANG ON!" Stripe sai as we tumbled around like beads in a centrifuge.

"Ugh! Find something to hang on to. If it shifts the other way…" Tanis began.

"We'll fly right into that blast FURNACE!" Ace finished as he was bashed into the wall.

"I'm calling princess Tyr. Only she can rescue us."

"Then make it quick Atlantian." I said as I drove Athena's Blades into the gold of the temporary floor. "And everyone grab onto me!"

"Not how I hoped to get personal with you, but I'm not one to complain." Brianna said as she held on pressing herself to one of my arms as tight as she could.

"What your you…" Penny said, only to have Ace wrap one arm around her waist and grab my ankle with his free hand.

"Whatever any of you do, do not let go." I said trying to force my blades into the wall even further for a better grip.

"Did you bring a communicator or something?" Stripe asked as he had grabbed hold of the armor piece guarding my shoulder.

"Sort of…." The very fishy man strained as he did something unperceivable to the rest of us. Garen just grabbed me around my midsection and held onto his friend with his free arm. Thankfully no matter how the monster moved we were safe from plummeting to the flames for now.

"Look the portal." Penny observed as a shimmering opening formed below us.

"Yes, but it is too far for us to reach till the room moves again." Garen said.

"Hold on, and do not let go." I said in a focused, hushed tone. To the shock of everyone but myself I began to slowly drag myself and all holding on towards the path of escape. Thankfully no matter how much the placement of the room moved we were able to progress towards our freedom as the heavy curved blades dug into the gold walls; my armor protecting my chest and arms from the gaping holes left by our progress and the cutting edges they had.

"This is completely insane." Penny said it terror for her life.

"Yea but it's working so don't you dare start rocking the boat."

"I must admit I would not have thought of this, but it is working my friend." Stripe said in words of encouragement. "And do not feel you need to rush."

"I climbed the back of the king of the titans to reach the Temple of Pandora." I said huffing and growling through my trial. "It took me 11 days to ascend to the top, but I made it. If you will hold on we will get out of here alive."

It was only a few minutes, but they were the most jaw-dropping of minutes. We went from flat on the floor, to hanging from the ceiling, to having my blades into the side of the room and walking towards the gate. It was not something I wished to repeat but we did make it.

"It's Alex and Stripe!" Britanny cried out in joy as I and my opponent for the werecheetah's love were the first to emerge from the pool. "What happened out there muffin."

I had wished Britanny had made clear whom it was she viewed as such, but I answered first in an attempt to stake my claim. "We had a slight conflict, but nothing serious. Sadly any attempt to destroy the thing from the inside is lost to us."

"I knew this would happen!" yelled the irate female who was working my last nerve for too long. "That whole debacle was a farce. We don't have a prayer of stopping that thing."

Ah yes Penny Pincer was being as ornery as ever and the very idea that she was being an absolute pest was lost on her.

"It's always nice to hear your cheery optimism miss sunshine and light." Ace said, just about crawling out of the pool. Why in the world he puts up with her I just cannot fathom.

"I'm getting sick of your mouth Ace."

"Oh put a sock in it Penny." Brianna growled. "I just had to ditch my favorite plasma rifle back there and all you did was get a little wet."

"Why do you upper-worlders fight so much?" Garen asked as he helped his friend to the surface. I just turned my head towards the lovely lycan and ignore the love-birds. Having enough of being the killing machine from ancient Greece, I went back to being me.

"Hey Alex, you okay? You seem a bit…distant lately." Britanny said she placed her hand on my shoulder. "I know you like to play the hero and such but…"

"It's not that Cheetah, it's….can we talk in private for a moment?" I asked as the far taller woman smiled and walked with me.

"Okay so what's on your mind cutie?" Britanny's hyper radiant eyes were like beams into my heart and I couldn't help but find myself staring at her in overwhelming curiosity.

"Well, you for one….and…I'm not good with this.."

"Well just start from the beginning. I know I'm a super strong & sexy werecat, but I'm still just a regular gal at heart." Britanny smiled as we sat down together.

"Well yea I know, and that's part of it…Britanny I really like you, I really like being with you, I love our time together, and I want…I want very much to be with you, but I…"

"Are you asking for a make-out session?" Britanny giggled. "Well I could make this a quick one but really I have to go pick up my sister soon." As any Gold Digger fan knows all female members of the Digger's family are super passionate women who have very little in the way of restraint for those they love. This did little to change the fact I could feel my face growing red with nervousness and the top of my head was throbbing like a…the one on top of my shoulders people.

"Wow you are nervous aren't you? I guess you really haven't been that close to a lot of women huh?" Britanny chuckled a bit saying this.

"No, no I haven't…and I'm going to be the first to say that this is the closest I've been with someone in a very long time and…I am worried about something…about how you feel about me and…about how you feel about Stripe…"

"Stripe? What has he got to…oh you're thinking about how I reacted with…oh you…" In an instant I found myself wrapped in Britanny's hug and held tight to her side. "I'm so sorry Alex I didn't mean to upset you."

"Really? So you…"

"Oh don't get me wrong I think that Prince Stripe is a hottie, but I'm not someone to just trade up when I've got someone who's going to drop someone as caring, polite, nice, and courageous as you just because a guy has a great face…or great abs, or cute butt, or…"

"I get the point." I nearly yelled. "Sorry. But yea I've kind of been worried about that since he showed up."

"Well don't." Britanny said as she ran her hands over what little hair I had on the back of my head. "And don't worry about that shape-shifting thing or transformation thing, or whatever you call it either because from everything I've seen it's just like me when I'm human or hybrid, or even animal. You may change your shape and act differently, but deep down I can tell it's you, my awesome buddy Alex McLean who is the real hero and you've proved that to me a number of times here."

"Well shucks Cheetah I'm…well I'm not sure what I'm feeling but it's a whole lot better than earlier." I smiled as I wrapped my arm around her back and joined in her hug…trying very hard not to squish my head to her breast that was inches away.

"Good, because the last thing I need is for my sweet guy to think I'm not thinking of him all the time. If you want to get even closer to your wonderful big sexy werecat, I won't mind." I could feel Britanny's purring reverberate through my body and gulped as I caught myself gazing at her. "In fact I would love for you to get close and…"

I was caught in a world of euphoria and excitement that I never had felt before as I finally found myself feeling comfortable enough to…

"There you are you freaking hornballs!" I heard the same super irritating, irate, pestering female voice that had been the bane of my existence half an hour ago. "If you two oversexed freaks are done we have a world to save."

"You know Penny, you have a seriously bad sense of timing." Britanny said as she started to gauge the floor with her claws.

"Tell me about it." I said I grit my teeth and followed Britanny's lead. "So you better have a damn good reason why you interrupted us."

"You two can get your cheap thrills later. Princess Tyr is ready to send you to get Gina." The negroid female said as she pointed back towards the portal with her thumb. "Honestly you're acting as badly as Gina does these days."

"Well at least I'm not a VIRGIN like some frigid people I know!" Britanny barked back.

"Uh Brit…" I started to whisper.

"What? Huh did my ears deceive me? Is that true Penny?" Ace said, having listened in on our conversation. "Wait 'til I tell the crew back home!"

"Ace don't be cruel!" Tyr responded as Penny was struck shock still and blushing like mad.

"Uh Britanny…" I said getting her attention.

"Uh…did I say virgin… I meant to say." Britanny's blush was so evident that it seemed her facial fur was a massive sunburn.

"Is the fact I'm one a problem?" I said interrupting her and stopping her dead in her tracks, though her blush only went away a little bit.

"What?...Oh no Alex with you it's an endearing characteristic. I mean you're so nice and kind and it's cool that…why don't we just go try to save Gina okay?"

"Uh got it, first save face then we can suck face later…" I swallowed hard.

"Hey that's a good one. I'll have to remember that." The Cheetah babe said as we left our little cove to rejoin the group.

"Hey there you two. Did you have fun?" Brianna said as she flipped her visor down .

"Not now Brianna, but as soon as we get home we'll make up for lost time." Britanny said straight faced.

"Well be that as it may, we have found your sister and we are ready to send you to her. I'm curious, how many will be going on this mission?" The Atlantian princess said as her incantation activated the portal.

"I'm going. I've spent enough time waiting around here." Cheetah said as she popped her knuckles and streached a bit.

"Well she's my sister too so I'm going along for the ride as well." Brianna smiled with a gleam in her eyes and her rifle in her hands.

"Since my job is to keep you safe Cheetah, I should go as well." I said as I started to walk towards the pool again.

"No you are staying here." Britanny nearly commanded, only to almost instantly passify the situation with non-threatening use of her hands. "I appreciate the gesture and understand you promised to keep me safe, but I would rather handle this on my own as picking up Ms nerdy hormones is a cakewalk compared to the situation here with Armageddon."

Taking a moment to catch our breath, I agreed.

"Yea besides Alex. If anyone besides Gina could figure out how to slow that monster down it's you. We'll be back soon so don't worry about us." Brianna added to Britanny's explination.

"Indeed. We will try to figure out things from here. Just please be safe you two." Stripe said as he nodded his head in agreement.

"Awe where's the fun in that?" Brianna said as she jumped into the swirling vortex.

"See you soon babe." Cheetah smiled and blew me a kiss.

"Damn super-powers and a super hot girl. Any chances of sharing that luck with the rest of us?" Ace joked. The man's constant optimistic attitude was in top form it seemed.

"No, but I'll see if I can give you a starship or two to play with." I replied. "Anyway, does anyone have a clue how to hurt this thing now that we can't remove it's batteries?"

"Sadly no I do not, nor am I aware of any way that this fiend can be harmed permanently." Stripe said.

"Do we at least know what it's doing right now?" Penny asked out loud.

"That is a fair question, and from what I can tell the thing is making headway through the upper levels of the city." Garen said as he looked over at some sort of consol with a communications system.

"We need to be more precise than that." Tyr completed her incantation and was able to leave the side of the pool. The teal skinned member of the Atlantian court gave off a sensation of deep concentration and focus as her eyes went into a thousand yard stare.

"Uh what's going on?" I whispered to Tanis as I couldn't figure out if the princess was thinking…or if she was doing some sort of subaudible form of communication.

"Princess Tyr is attempting to solicit from the local governors the situation they are facing. Sadly it does not seem like things are going well for them and she is ordering a complete withdrawl from a number of the layers of the city. No matter what they are trying there is no stopping that thing."

"Then we can only hope that Gina will be able to think of something once she is rescued." The tone in Stripe's voice conveyed the sense of helplessness that was sweeping over all of us, and yet I knew I couldn't just stay put and do nothing.

"I can't do nothing." I said as I shook my head and tried to think of what I could do, if anything.

"Alex I know that you would love to help but right now dawg there is nothing anyone could do. Afterall no man could…"

"Not a man." I said to myself. "Tyr your people operate mainly through sight do you not?"

"Yes quite Alex. Although we Atlantians have far better senses of hearing, balance, touch, and taste than humans and have a greater affinity for magic on average, our sense of sight is our primary sense and therefore our civilization has a rather complex and powerful lighting system throughout our relm. But what does that have to do with anything?"

I smiled the biggest smile I had since this adventure started.

"And this light source, what frequency is it at?" I asked grinning ear to ear.

"Why it is a perfect match for the light of the Sun. Although we do have a greater humidity than the surface we still need sunlight of somesort to grow our food."

"That's just what I need. Tell whomever is in charge to focus completely on getting their people out of there and I'll slow that thing down as best I can."

"Very well, but what does sunlight have to do with you being able to help my people?"

"And what was that about not a man a little earlier?" Penny asked, probably hoping for some female transformation.

"Ace said it himself, no man could help. But Superman can." I had never tried to use the powers of a Kryptonian before, never got to show him off at all really. But if anyone would be able to throw-down with a being as dangerous as this Armeggedon, then it would be the Man of Steel. Red boots, cape, blue pants and shirt, and yes the iconic red "S" on the Pentegon over the chest went along with my complete transformation of size, jawline, hair, and biology.

"Superman, how freaking corny can you get pal?" Penny huffed, and I ignored.

"Princess Tyr, how do I get to Armeggedon?" I asked with great urgency as I felt every cell in my body filling rapidly with power. I felt invincible, beyond strong, beyond any other character I had yet to use, and along with that I felt the deep need of control that Kal-El lives with every day to safeguard those he cares about for accidental harm.

"While the magics that power the fiend greatly interfere with my ability to teleport you, I can open a gateway to a section of the city that is relatively close to it. But I make no promises on if I can get you back safely."

"That is a risk I am willing to take." I said as I once more walked into the wet portal.

I found myself in the midst of screaming, panicing people all running as fast as they could from the thing lumbering towards them and demolishing their homes. They stopped for a second to gasp in awe at the newcomer, but that only made their fear greater.

"Who is this?"

"Is he a surface dweller?"

"Quickly run don't stop…"

"Wait please." I tried to ask. "I'm here to help. Who is in charge here?" it was to little or no avail as the masses were so frightened by the monster no one dared to stay for a moment to answer my questions. I didn't blame them one bit though. Through the smoke, the fire, the lost loved ones, they had every reason to be scared. But that wasn't going to stop me from giving them a reason to hope.

I levitated off the ground till I felt I was safely high enough not to cause any damage to those I was trying to save. From there I took off, yes faster than a speeding bullet, and bore down at hypersonic speed at the massive beast that was the cause of such missory and pain. Mach 2, 3, 4…I raced hard and

BOOM!

As the shockwave from my flight exploded over the city, I smashed into Armeggedon with more force than, you guessed it, a freight train. It was a complete shock to the thing and it lost its footing and fell to the ground in a heep.

"This ends right now." I glared at this callous and grotesque abomination of science and sorcery. Seeing that I had a momentary advantage I took in a deep breath and blew. Not the hurricane gall force blast, but a super cold wave of air that I used to build a freezing crystalline barrio around Armeggedon's body. As the fires from the head seemed to dwindle down, I knew I had some time to try and help with the rescue operation. I also figured that the best way to help was to remove the smoke and flames that now ravaged the city and therefore I flew cautiously overhead using my ice breath to slowly drop the temperature as best I could. All the while I was scanning the area with my X-ray vision caught praying that either everyone got out or that I could find someone left I could try to save.

I wanted to cry like never before, but I couldn't do that. Not while these people, yes people, needed help. I couldn't show fear or sorrow as I soared overhead accelerating the local firefighting forces attempts to subdue the blaze. Without the beast's exacerbating the situation, the fires were thankfully able to be contained. I knew that I didn't have much time remaining before Armeggedon escaped the confines of his icy incarceration, but I had to land to make my intentions clear.

"Who…what are you?" A frightened yet very courageous middle-aged Atlantian asked as I approached him. As he was surrounded by those that looked like local guards I felt confident he was someone of power I could talk to.

"A friend."

"Indeed, and I would wager my gills that is all that matters. But please what do we call you friend?" I took his offered hand in mine and shook it. "Myself, I am Governor Geis and we have been focused on getting our people to the lower levels as soon as we can. But as I have mentioned to Princess Tyr we only have two days at most if that things gets up again."

"How have your defenses been holding, if at all?" I asked, as I gazed back to where I had laid my foe out cold if you will.

"Sadly they aren't able to do much, but knowing General Virs as I do he will fight to keep that thing back even if it's his own two hands."

"I take it that he's on the front lines then with his men?"

"That would be exactly where to find him."

"Governor Geis tell General Virs I will focus on keeping that thing from progressing any further into the city and have his men fall back to help with the evacuation."

"I'll relay the message Superman, but don't take it personally if he doesn't go along with it. Military pride and all." The goveneror chuckled a bit.

"You can tell the General that I have no desire to imply his soldiers are not courageous and willing to do whatever it is necessary to defend their people and their homes, but they do not have the tools to hold this thing back, much less repel it." I commented as I flew back towards where I immobilized my advocacy…though I knew that he likely was able to get up soon.

Thankfully Armeggedon was only just begging to rise from his interment so I had time to think of a plan and contact General Virs myself.

"Halt, identify yourself." Came one soldier weary and tired, seeming on the verge of collapse, yet still had the will inside him to hold his weapon up at me. I raised my hands and drifted down to his level.

"I am not here to harm you. I am Superman and I am here to help."

"Super…man? What are you? Human, or…."

"What he is soldier may be our saving grace thank Neptune." One grizzled old man with worn features and aged skin covering worn muscle said as he approached me. "And that's all that matters to me."

"General Virs?" I asked.

"Indeed young man, though right now age has little importance and I quite frankly don't care how you stopped that thing but am glad you did."

"General that thing is not defeated, only restrained for the moment." I corrected him. "Soon the power it has from the latest surge of its energy core will be able to break it free and it will continue on its path of destruction."

"And what exactly do you suggest we do about it?" He shot back a he looked over where his men lay dead and his defenses crumbled.

"For now? I suggest that you fall back and help evacuate your people to the lower levels to buy them some time. I will try to hold that thing back as long as I can till it does run out of power substantially and needs to fully recharge." The General agreed with a nod of his head, though many under his command did not.

"Sir please we can…"

"Soldier enough! We have no reinforcements and all our batteries are overrun." The proud warrior said with great pain. "And we've lost too many men as it is."

"General there is no cowardice nor shame to be had, and your men have fought the best they can. Like you I am only trying to save as many people as I can from this monster."

"Don't get philosophical on me boy I know that….it's just not easy for old sharks to not fight. Men, gather yourselves, your provisions, and your wounded brothers and head back towards where the civilians are while we can. Leave no one behind and when we get there start assisting as best you can. And you 'Superman' keep that damned-to-the-abyss thing as far from us as you can."

"That's what I intend to do General." Once more into the air I was able to see that my fears were confirmed as the mountain of ruin had just broken free of the ice I had kept him in. With the fires once more roaring from the multiple demonic heads, I knew that it was game on again.

No words were spoken, and none could be said, as the beast bore of Gyphon unleashed it's furious blasts at me. Though seemingly mindless there was a vengeful and ravenous consciousness seeming to emanate from within some part of this things. Torrents of yellow red flame roared like dragon's fire from the hellish mouth and beams of vile will lanced from its smaller hands. The larger arms of the beast attempted to swat at me as if I were a bug as I raced around the towering things torso, stopping only to make a quick blast at its sides to keep focus on me.

Rage and frustration filled this thing's actions as attempt after attempt to end my existence failed. From avoiding its grasping claws to dodging punches, to the perfectly timed twists and turns through the air that gave me clear passage around this thing, I was able to keep all the fighting on me and its focus far from innocent lives. Slowly it trod forth towards me with dedicated intent and menacing desire, slowing ebbing away the charge it had left inside its core. My cold freezing breath seemed to help in this as I made quick breaths at its side sometimes freezing a limb in place or two together. The heat from the belly furnace though kept those from lasting much longer than a minute or two, but that wasn't the point. Keeping the thing heading back through its previous wake of desecration and demolishment was as it could only feed from new destruction.

"RAAARRRR!" Roars like thunder filled the air as streams of flame as big around as volcanic blasts ripped the air around me. Though I was able to avoid the blast, and the heat did not faze me, it was too close for comfort and I dove down to the gargantuan legs faster than the thing could react.

"Let's see if you like this!" I said driving my right fist deep into the giant's kneecap. Though pain was not something I felt it could feel, I was sure that if I at least momentarily crippled the demon's leg then it would be all that much slower in the assault before it recovered.

Fortune seemed to be with me again as Gyphon had not designed this thing to deal with ones of Kryptonian strength and speed since I was able to cuff the kneecap sending destructive shockwaves through it and dropping Armageddon to the ground on one side. Had I not raised back to the heavens (or at least the top of the cavern) the shockwave from the collapse would have thrown me for a mile. As it was I was able to gain great height above the flaring crown and in an act of either stupidity or courage (perhaps both), I barreled down like a great meteor into Armageddon's back. The impact drove the fiend not only to the ground, but into it and causing it to collapse in a heap.

I wasn't done though. Because I couldn't let up and allow this thing a respite and I knew if I gave it any time to recoop this may be for not. Superman was never one to slack and I held nothing back in my attempt to rend the vile thing from existence and save what was left of this people. I pounded at the great monster's back like the force of H-bombs again and again and only gave myself a moment to recharge my power from the artificial sunlight. The shock from my punches raced through the demolished metropolis in great typhoons and crumbling down what little remained, thought thankfully no living thing was left to perhaps accidentally fall by my attempt to beet Armageddon to pulp. If I were to see what I was doing from a distance it would be as if an ant had felled a man and was smashing the person by himself. Comical perhaps in retrospect, but deadly serious now.

"That is ENOUGH!" A great voice of fury cried from the center head of my advocacy as the demon was just able to rise to its feet, it's body just barely reconstructing from the damage I gave him.

"Gyphon!" I said in shock, only to find myself finally nabbed in one of his great hands.

"Indeed you have proven yourself to be a greater foe than Stripe. BEGONE PEST!" I didn't have time to break free as I was tossed though the make-shift sky above Atlantis and crashed to the ground where the people I was trying to save lay and buried deep into the ground of the city.

"Yes, Greetings doomed ones, and a special greeting to you, Princess Tyr." I could hear the voice of one I thought was dead cackle with glee as I shook my head to clear my mind of the shock at what had happened.

"Again, you believed me crushed my Armageddon s hands, but I was absorbed by him though special energy." Like every other deranged lunatic of a villain Gyphon just loved the sound of his own voice and blathered on.

"I am now more powerful than ever, thanks to a special incantation that allowed Armageddon to absorb me instead of destroy me. Now if you wish to save you precious city, you and your…living allies…must surrender to me by tomorrow's end! If you don't the seas of Atlantis will change from crystal blue to crimson red!"

As the fool blathered on, I was able to pull myself out from the rock that I had recently been imbedded in and shook the debris from my garments and hair.

The populous stood amazed and wondered if they were truly to be slaves, or perhaps their hero would rise to fight again.

"Superman?" A small girl asked me, holding her sole possession of a doll in her hand.

"Don't worry. It will be okay. " I kneeled down to her level. "You will not be forced to live in fear again, and this fight is far from over."

"How is this possible." I heard Gryphon scream at the top of his voice. "You are like some sort of Cockroach! Why don't you just die."

As my maddened aggressor bellowed in hate, his mark was off. A single beam of power raced from one of his many fingers towards me, but was going to let it hit the girl. I didn't have time to fly her away so I choose to place myself in the path of the beam and push the girl to safety.

Gyphon bore down on what energy he had left and I was being blasted back into the floor. I wanted to just give up, to give in, but I didn't and I couldn't. I dug my feet into the ground, caught the beam in my hands, and almost at the point of exhaustion to stand I walked back towards the insane monster.

"You can't be real, you can't….Where does this power you have come from? How can you be so strong?" I could hear the great fear in Gyphon's voice as I gained foot hold after foot hold and trod slowly through the city. Though each step was a great labor, I would not allow myself to yield to this…not now, and not for myself. If one asks where a great hero gains his strength, his courage, it is from his heart, his will not to fall and faith to carry on. And Britanny was right when she said that I was the one in command. Yes the rays of the artificial sun was giving my Kryptonian body great powers, but it was not his courage, not his strength that gave me the will to carry on. It was from my own heart, my own will to not give up and not to give in. I would not fail this time, I could not fail.

"You fight for yourself Gyphon, you always have." I was able to spout out. "You fight for greed, or cruelty, for power. You fight for nothingness."

I was able to pick up the pace as I felt as if a second breath was building inside me. "All your life it has only been for you and for personal gratification, and that ends right now." I punched the beam with my right. I couldn't believe I did it as if I was in one of the 1930's Superman cartoons, but it did happen. I followed up with my left hand, and another right, slowly gaining speed and even taking back to the air.

"I fight for more than myself and always will. I fight to defend the innocence, protect the weak, to allow others to remain free no matter what personal sacrifice must be made." With each foot, each yard I gained on Gyphon the stronger I felt. More and more he unleashed upon me without end. All that concentrated hate, fear, rage, and evil forced upon me was enormous, but I still kept coming on. "That is the reason I will not give up, I will never give in to you and to those like you. You are nothing for you fight for nothing and live for nothing. I fight for truth, justice, and for what is truly the AMERICAN WAY!" with that last yell at the top of my lungs I unleashed a right uppercut on Gyphon's outstretched hand, a left cross at his main head, and ended it with a roundhouse connecting to the intersection of his crown and horn that caused him to spin and crash to the ground.

As the flame of Armeggedon's head slowly died down, I was able to catch my breath for a bit.

"You think you have won? But you and I know the artifacts in my new body haven't even begun to deplete. You have bought yourself a day, maybe two at the most before they are able to recharge me, but I will rise up and bring down chaos upon this world. So fight for your truth and justice, I will always rise no matter how much you bring me down again." Gyphon laughed with glee as he took his respite.

I took a moment to allow the cells of my body to replenish as I dropped to the ground feeling even worse than when I fought Dreadwing not a month earlier. But it was worth it. Yes the war was not yet won, but for now the people could escape to safety and Gyphon was completely immobile.

"ALEX!" I heard Britanny cry with tears of joy as she nearly tackled me to the ground in a great big "cheetah" hug. "Oh are you okay, that meany didn't hurt you too much did he? Oh look at you, I think you need some Cheetah special TLC ASAP."

"I'm okay Cheetah, just a little tired." I smiled at her and returned to being normal me.

"I bet, but don't worry your loving Cheetah is going to take you home give you some special attention." Before I knew what was going on I was lifted off the ground, and was being rushed off to who knows were.

"Hey what the…"

"Oh hush you. You just beat a titanic colossus to the ground single handedly and saved a city so your manliness quota has been filled for the next year. For now let's just go home."

To be continued…


End file.
